Captive of the Organization
by coolmegan123
Summary: A regular girl from our world is captured by the Organization, and taken to the Kingdom Hearts universe. Many revelations will ensue as she learns of the truth behind her kidnapping. Author's Note: Please keep in mind that this is my first fanfic, and my writing has improved as I've written it. If you're reading it from the beginning, please bear this in mind! :)
1. Prologue - Captured

Hi everyone! I wrote the prologue for this fanfic years ago, and rediscovered it this past April. I've written 13 chapters for it since then, and am continuing to write! I'll be uploading them soon. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Help! I've Been Captured By The Organization!**

 **Prologue - Captured**

Suddenly, I was surrounded. Twelve people all in black cloaks with their hoods up had appeared in my room. They looked just like Organization XIII's clothing. Frantically, I looked around for the one that was shorter than the rest. If this was Organization XIII, then Roxas would have to be with them, and he would most likely be the nicest one.

There were only twelve of them, and I had no doubt that Xemnas was the only one who hadn't come; he would have everyone else do the dirty work. As I was scanning, I found him.

"Roxas?" I said. I stared into the shadowed face of the person.

He jumped a little, and then looked at the others. They nodded. He pushed down his hood revealing blonde spiky hair, and a pair of blue eyes that were gazing at me curiously.

"How- how do you know my name?" said Roxas.

"You'd never believe me if I told you," I said.

Roxas exhaled in disappointment.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" I asked a little uncertainly.

"We've been ordered to capture you," came a voice from my right side. I jumped and turned toward the person that had said it. They pushed down their hood, revealing a mass of spiky red hair and emerald green eyes.

"Axel!" I said.

Axel pulled his face back confused. "That's just, weird," he said.

"I bet all of you are here except Xemnas," I said, "right?" There was a short pause before I spoke again. "He'll never come out to do things himself! He's just too lazy!"

"How dare you insult our leader!" came a voice from behind me, now that I was facing Axel.

I turned to see another one of the Organization removing their hood. This time it revealed dirty-blonde hair and pair of green eyes similar to Axel, but a little darker. "Demyx!" I said, a little too excitedly, for he jumped quite a bit.

"Maybe this is the reason Xemnas ordered us to capture her," said an inquisitive British voice to my left now.

I wheeled to face them. This Organization member took their hood down as well, revealing white-blonde hair, and a pair of blue eyes. Luxord.

"Oh, now I get it!" said Demyx, "She knows things. Things that Xemnas wants to know,"

"Why would he send so many of you?" I asked, "just for me,"

"You're pretty hard to get at," said Demyx, "You probably don't know it, but there are people protecting you from us. They've managed to keep us away, and keep you from knowing,"

"But we got past this time," said another voice from the circle. I turned to face this one as well. They pushed their hood down showing dark hair with white streaks. The hair was pulled back into a ponytail and there was an eye patch on the left eye. It was Xigbar.

I gasped. Just as I took a step to try to get out of the circle, and away from them, I suddenly found myself pinned up against the wall of my very own room, by a chakram. Axel stood in front of me, holding the chakram to my throat. I was pinned, and couldn't do anything to get out of it. I was trapped.

The members of the organization were now gathered in a semi-circle behind Axel. All of them were watching me and Axel. I looked at Axel's eyes. They had become cold. Not like how he had looked at Roxas with kindness in the game, no, these eyes were focused on me, to make sure I didn't escape.

"Going somewhere?" Axel asked sharply. His eyes were watching me unfalteringly. "There is no getting away. You're protectors don't even know we're here this time. Our plan to capture you was flawless. You're coming with us this time, conscious or not,"

I gasped. One of them removed their hood, letting out bright blue hair out with auburn eyes. There was also a large "X" across the center of their face. It was Saix. Saix summoned his claymore, disappeared into the darkness, and reappeared right beside me. Hitting me on the back of the head with it, I slowly slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing I remember seeing as my legs gave out under me, was Axel retracting his hand with the chakram in it to his side, and the smirk on his face in front of me, as I fell to the ground.

They had captured me.


	2. Chapter 1 - Meeting Saïx

**Chapter 1 – Meeting Saïx**

I woke up, sitting bolt upright. I was in a single bed in a room with a window to my left, and a door further away to my right. Everything was white – furniture included. It looked similar to Roxas' room in 358/2 days. There were probably numerous rooms like this, all similar in design.

Pushing the covers off, I swung my feet over to the left side of the bed and stood up. I was still wearing the clothes I had on when I was in my room – light-wash blue jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt. I walked over to the window and looked out. I was high up in a tower, and could see dusks running around on the ground below. They were too numerous to count. Briefly glimpsing around, I knew exactly where I was.

"Hello Megan", came a voice from the other side of the room. I turned around, and saw that Demyx was standing in the doorway to the room. The door had been closed before; I wondered how he had come in so quietly? There was a brief pause as I looked at him for a second before responding.

"Hi…", I said, unsure of myself. Demyx was wearing his organization cloak with the hood down, his blonde hair showing. He had nothing else with him, and was standing in the doorway looking calmer than he did when they were all surrounding me in my room. He looked relaxed and unthreatening now.

"I suppose you know where you are?", he asked.

"The Castle That Never Was?", I asked, not sure I really believed it myself. Demyx cracked a grin on the left side of his face.

"Absolutely right. It's no wonder we were sent to capture you. You know things about us that no one else does."

Suddenly there was a bang at the window behind me. I turned around quickly, and jumped back when I saw what was there. There were a few dusks clinging to the window staring at me. Though they didn't really have any discernable eyes, I could tell it was me they were homing in on.

"I wouldn't go outside if I were you.", said Demyx. "They can tell you're not a Nobody, and will attack on sight." I gulped. That was some security system they had. "Anyway," said Demyx nonchalantly, "I've been sent to get you". I turned around and looked at him sheepishly and wide-eyed.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Saïx wants to see you", he replied. A chill went down my spine. Saïx always seemed like a scary guy in the game. He was always downright serious, and didn't have a sense of humour like a lot of the other members of Organization XIII.

"He… scares me", I said.

"Well, what d'you expect?", said Demyx. "He's second in command.". After a brief pause, he said "C'mon", motioning with his arm for me to come toward the door. I glanced at the window again, but the dusks had disappeared. Guess they had other prey to go after once they figured out that they couldn't get to me. I turned and walked toward the door where Demyx was standing. He motioned for me to exit the room first, and followed after closing the door after us.

Telling me which way to go at each turn through the corridors, he always kept a watchful eye on me. We arrived at a set of double doors.

"Go on in", he said, without much enthusiasm. I pushed open the doors, to reveal a large room with couches and a large window that spread across the entire far wall. It looked like the room where Roxas and the others went to get their mission for the day in the 358/2 Days game. Cautiously, I walked into the room. After I had cleared the threshold, I heard the doors close behind me. Turning around, Demyx was nowhere to be found; he must've closed the doors behind me.

I turned around to face the room again. In front of the window now there was a figure I hadn't seen before. They were facing the window. They wore an Organization XIII black cloak and had long blue hair. Saïx. I gulped, and walked toward him slowly. Just as I came within 10 feet of him, he turned around to face me.

"I trust you slept well Megan?", he said in a deep, but unfriendly voice.

"Uh, yes", I replied. "How long was I out?".

"About a week", Saïx replied. "We had our scientist keep you under while he ran some tests". Vexen. It had to be; he was the creepy lab guy in the game. He made me almost as nervous as Saïx did.

"A week!", I gasped. "I've been gone a week?!".

"Don't worry", said Saïx casually. "No time has passed in your world. Hardly any does while you're here". I took a breath, not sure if that was supposed to be comforting or not. What the heck kind of tests had they run on me for a week?!. I was trying not to imagine being unconscious in Vexen's lab. I didn't enjoy going to the doctor as it was, so knowing that Organization XIII's scientist was running who-knows-what tests on me in a different universe wasn't a pleasant thought. "You'll be happy to know you're in perfect health", he said.

"Uh, thanks", I said. I felt less nervous around him now that we were talking, so I broached the question that was threatening to explode out of me if I didn't ask it. "What am I doing here? Why did you take me from my room? Am I a… prisoner?".

"You can call it what you like," he said. "Put it this way, you are not allowed to leave.". I tensed up. He continued "You were to be put into a cell, but Roxas insisted that we give you a room instead". My body relaxed at hearing that. Roxas stood up for me? He only just met me… well, he is Sora's Nobody after all. I guess the two seconds when I met him gave him a good impression of me. Maybe I should try to talk to him again! He seems like the nicest member so far.

"We can't have you knowing our secrets out in the world", he said. "That would be a security threat to our plans". He turned toward the window. "The fact that you know so much must've been the reason why there were so many guarding you".

"But- ", I started to say, but Saïx cut me off.

"We cannot allow anyone to interfere", he said. "You know too much; you will stay here, so you can't tell anyone about our plans". He paused. "Do not try to escape, the dusks will give you no quarter, and I do not have patience. If you attempt to escape, we will not be so kind". I went stiff. Saïx really was scary. Even scarier than he seemed in the games.

I was trying to tell him that many people in my world would know their secrets, but I doubt they would miss something like that with all the planning they claimed they went through to get to me. Who had been guarding me? King Mickey? Sora? Someone not in the games that I've yet to meet? None of it made sense. Why me? What did I have or know that other players of the game didn't? And why would they want to keep me here? What do they want from me? Saïx interrupted my thoughts.

"You may go", he said. "Demyx is waiting for you in the hall".


	3. Chapter 2 - Making Friends

**Chapter 2 – Making Friends**

"They've captured her", said an unknown voice. Their voice was deep.

"What happened?", replied another unknown voice. This voice was slightly higher, but still deep.

"They got in during the few minutes that our guard was down. They must've studied our patterns with each attempt to get to her", replied the first voice. The shadowy figure looked down at the ground. "What should we do now?".

"There's nothing we can do right now", responded the second voice. "They've likely taken her to the Castle That Never Was. It's a fortress, as I'm sure you well know. It will take time and planning to even get close."

"What if they discover her real power?" asked the first voice. "That could give some serious power to Xemnas and the Organization".

"They already know she has power, but not the extent of it", replied the second voice. "It's a risk we'll have to take. We must start planning a rescue operation. See to it that our people are informed. We'll need to be prepared if we're going to get her back from them. All the members of the Organization will be in that castle. This will be tricky".

"Understood".

* * *

Demyx gave me a brief tour of the main areas of the castle, and reiterated where I was and was not allowed to go. The place seemed huge, and I had a feeling he had only shown me the bare minimum to get around. There didn't seem to be any outside-facing doors that I could see, but then again, why show a captive the door to freedom? Even if I did find it though, there were 5 million dusks outside waiting to greet me, and I didn't have a keyblade to fight them with. Where was Sora when you needed him?

I wondered where Sora was. If this was the Kingdom Hearts universe, didn't that mean that he and all the other good guys would be here somewhere? Did they even know I existed? I was worried about what the Organization had planned for me. Surely, they were keeping me here for a purpose…

"You spacing out?" Demyx was in my face.

"Woah, no", I responded, backing up a bit and waving my arms in front of me. I had gotten so lost in my thoughts, that I must've just been staring blankly ahead.

"Okay, then", he said. "This is our final stop. Somewhere you can come to get out of your room." I looked around. There was no door to this room, just an alcove leading into a much larger space. There were couches spread around like the room Saïx was in, as well as a large window as the far wall, but this room was much bigger. The variety of furniture was much larger as well, with coffee and end tables scattered around the couches and armchairs.

As I glanced around, I noticed there were some members of the Organization there. Luxord was sitting at a table playing cards with Zexion. They didn't seem to notice us at the entrance. I looked around the other side of the room, and saw Axel's piercing green eyes glance at me. I immediately jumped behind Demyx. Axel seemed kind of scary right now; not the kind person he was to Roxas at all.

"Hey, what are you doing?" said Demyx looking behind at me.

"Axel looks kind of scary right now", I said.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about him", said Demyx. "He's a big softie once you get to know him. The only harm you need to worry about is if you try to leave the castle. We wouldn't have captured you if we meant you harm. Just don't go trying to leave, and we'll get along swell, kay?". He spoke in a generally playful tone, but there was a hint of seriousness to his voice in that last sentence. They were being nice to me now, but if I tried anything, that would quickly change.

"Roxas!" I exclaimed happily, walking out from behind Demyx. Roxas had just come in to the room, and was standing a short distance from us.

"Oh, hi", he said, looking a little confused. "Demyx give you the grand tour?"

"Yes, we've just finished." I responded. "He said this is a place where I can come to hang out."

"Ya got that right", said Roxas. "How about we go and sit down?". He scanned the room, and pointing in Axel's direction said "How about over there? We can join Axel!".

"Okay…" I said, a little nervous. I followed Roxas to the back-left corner where Axel was sitting by himself on a couch with another opposite him, and a coffee table in between. Roxas and I sat on the couch opposite him. There was a brief, awkward silence before Roxas spoke.

"Hey Axel, how's it going?" he asked Axel.

"Fine, I suppose", Axel responded. He looked at Roxas with kinder eyes.

"Megan's just had the grand tour with Demyx", said Roxas cheerfully. "She's free to roam around now."

"Ah, is that so", said Axel. He looked at me, our eyes meeting, and said "Hope I didn't scare you too much earlier".

"You did look a bit intense when I saw you across the room…" I said, trying not to break his gaze.

"Sorry about that", he said. "I was deep in thought. That tends to happen."

"What were you thinking about?" I asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" he said sarcastically. "I'm sure you've heard the typical 'don't try to leave' speech by now. I don't think you want me pinning you with my chakram again. Got it memorized?". I became nervous as I briefly recalled his expression when he had me pinned to the wall in my room, but then I giggled. When Axel looked confused, I explained.

"You always say that!", I giggled. "'Got it memorized?'". I laughed. "But yeah, preferably no more chakrams to my throat. You looked kind of scary then".

"Yeah, well", Axel began. "We were on a mission. Now that you're here though, things can be a little more laid back."

"That's good to hear…", I said nervously. Axel was like a different person when he was on a mission… I changed the subject to a friendlier one. "You and Roxas have been friends for a long time, right?".

"You got it!" said Roxas.

"Roxas was completely hopeless when he came into the Organization", said Axel. "We became buddies, and he slowly came out of his shell".

"Mmhmm", I said, recalling the games' storylines. This was weird. Suddenly I'm friends with the people who had taken me captive; the one who had a weapon to my throat! But I couldn't help it. These were the people from the game! It was strange, but it seemed like although they were the ones that captured me, they were really good people at heart. Just following orders. I knew that didn't necessarily make it right, but for the meantime, it was better to be friends with them than enemies.

We all laughed at Axel's stories about Roxas. As long as I didn't try to leave, things would be hunky-dory. I could be friends with Roxas and Axel, and be free to move about the castle. My only worry was what Xemnas had planned for me…


	4. Chapter 3 - Unknown Power

**Chapter 3 – Unknown Power**

I woke up the next morning in my white-clad room. It turned out that I had woken up mid-day the previous day, so it was really only a half-day. After chatting with Axel and Roxas for the rest of the day, I had returned to my room for the night. Sitting up, I looked around and studied my room a bit. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. There was the large window to my left, the bed I was on, a wall about 10 feet in front of the bed, and a door 10 feet to the right of the bed. There was a dresser on the wall opposite me.

Getting up from the bed, I went over to the dresser. Curious what was in it, I opened the door; however, my curiosity fizzled out almost immediately when I found it empty. _Oh well, guess I get to stay in the clothes I came in…_ I thought. I supposed it probably held Organization cloaks for the members in their rooms. Did they ever wear anything else? I didn't think I had ever seen them in anything but their cloaks in all of the games… Even in 358/2 days, Roxas was always in his cloak, even in his room.

I headed for the door, opened it, and went out into the hallway. _Which way was that common area?_ I thought to myself. Everything I had seen in the castle so far was completely white. I wondered how anyone found their way around the place. Demyx had given me a small tour, but there was a lot to take in on the first day…

I took a left from my room, went down the stairs of the tower, and found myself in a long hallway. _Ok, this must be the main building,_ I thought. That was good. It meant that I should've been closer to the common area Demyx had brought me to before. The tower had a nice view, but it was far removed from everything else.

I headed right from the tower stairwell down a long white hallway with a few doors on either side. I didn't try any of them, but instead kept going, hoping to find the alcove entrance to the common area. There was no one around, which was strange considering the castle was home to all the members of the Organization, but then again, it was a big castle. I also thought it was strange that there was no one there when I came out of my room. I guess they figured I couldn't go anywhere with all the dusks outside, so there wasn't any point in keeping me under supervision.

I came to the end of the hall, and turned right. The hall opened up into a huge area. It must've been as tall as the castle itself! There were a set of large double doors that reached the ceiling to the left, and a catwalk with stairs leading up around halfway up the wall. As usual, everything was white. There was an arch alcove underneath the catwalk in the middle of the room, and nothing on the right but wall. The alcove in the middle was different from the one that led to the common area. It was dark inside, so I wasn't able to see where it led.

Still there was no one around. I wondered where they all were? Maybe they had missions every morning like in 358/2 Days? I had no idea of what time it was, but that would make sense if it was morning. I headed toward the double doors, thinking maybe it lead to another large room like the one I met with Saïx in. Pulling on the handle, it didn't move at first, but after a few good tugs, it opened a crack. I looked through, and immediately regretted it.

There were dusks flitting around on the ground below the castle. It had seemed farther in the games, but it was actually relatively close. The castle was floating above the World That Never Was, with no path to the ground. In the game, if memory served, Sora and the others activated a passageway from the ground to the castle. I supposed that the Organization members didn't need a pathway, as they just used their darkness portals to get everywhere.

Before I could think about anything else, the dusks on the ground began jumping towards me. In one move, they had reached the door, and clung onto the opening.

"Wah!" I shrieked, and quickly positioned my back against the door, pushing against it to try to get it closed. It closed a few moments later, but not before three dusks had made their way inside.

Moving away from the now closed door, I avoided an attack from one of the dusks, and began to run toward the other side of the room. I managed to get halfway there before one of them grabbed my leg and tripped me, causing me to fall on my stomach. I rolled over onto my back, and tried desperately to get its' arms off my leg. A few seconds later, I managed to get free. I hastily got up, and again tried to make a break for the other side of the room, but the dusks were ahead of me. They flitted around and then in front of me, and landed to block my path. There was one in front of me, and two to my sides, forming a triangle encircling me.

I tried to punch the one in front of me, but it just angled its' body sideways to avoid it, simply doing its' wavy dance as it stood in front of me.

"Get away! Get away from me!" I yelled, but the dusks began closing in. One dusk leaped at me to attack. I closed my eyes and put my left arm out in front of me to try and block the attack. The dusk impacted, causing a gash on my arm; the force of the blow knocking me down to the ground. I opened my eyes just in time to see the dusks preparing for their next attack. Putting up other arm to blockade again, and hoping for the best, I braced myself.

But the attack never came. I looked up, letting my arm down, and saw the dusk that had attempted to attack me disappear into thin air a few feet away. I noticed a golden glow around me, and looking at my hands, saw that my entire body was glowing! Was that what had knocked the dusk back? What was it? Just as a began to examine my arms and legs, the glow faded.

"No! Come back!" I yelled. The other two dusks were still very much present, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that one was preparing to attack, now that the glow had disappeared. With an opening in the circle, I dashed from my sitting position into a run to get as far away from them as I could. The one preparing to attack leaped 5 feet in front of me, causing me to come to a quick halt. I put my hands up in front of me and braced myself for the attack I knew was coming.

Just as it began making its way toward me, a darkness portal appeared a distance to my left out of a wall. Axel came through, looking pleased with himself, when he noticed my predicament.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, and immediately jumped into action. He summoned his chakrams, and defeated the two remaining dusks. I fell to a sitting position again, adrenaline the only thing that had kept me standing until that point. Axel ran over to me, and shook my shoulders.

"Hey Megan! What happened?!" he exclaimed. "How did those dusks get in?!".

"I was… looking for the common area…" I began weakly. "I thought… those doors might lead to it… but… when I opened them… it led to the outside… and… some dusks got in. It all happened so quickly. I closed it as fast as I could… but three got in…".

"Three?" Axel said confused. "But there were only two…" he said under his breath. I started to feel faint; the blood from the gash on my arm was dripping onto the floor. I could faintly see that my body was starting to glow gold again. Axel saw it too, his expression changing for only a split second. After it stopped, I felt a bit better, but not 100%. I tried to get up, but Axel beat me to it.

"You're wounded," he said seriously. "Don't try to move". He put his arms under my knees and upper back, and lifted me up. "We need to get you some help". I didn't have any strength to put up an argument. He opened a darkness portal and walked through with me. The second I entered the portal, I lost consciousness.

* * *

I woke up in a darker room. I was laying on my back on a hard surface, and my left arm had been bandaged where the dusk had attacked me. The room was white, but the lighting was much dimmer than all the other rooms I had seen in the castle thus far. It was just enough to see everything in the room without being blinding.

I turned my head to the right to see what was around me. There was a silver table to my right with what looked like medical tools. Lifting my head slightly to look around the room, I could see that there were a couple other tables with the same kinds of tools. The room was smaller than the common area, but larger than the room they had given me. When I looked to my left, I saw the back of a person working with some tools on a table. They wore an Organization XIII cloak, and had long, dirty-blonde hair.

"She's awake" came a voice from behind my head. It was Axel's. I turned my head toward his direction, and then back to the person beside me just as they turned around. It was Vexen.

"Ah, yes I see" Vexen said. "How are you feeling Megan? You lost quite a bit of blood". I hesitated; I was a little nervous in the presence of the mad scientist of the Organization. He continued. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced, but I suppose you likely already know who I am hmm?".

"Vexen" I croaked out.

"Very good" Vexen replied. "You were lucky. Not many would survive an encounter with dusks. It was good fortune that Axel showed up when he did". I used my uninjured arm to bring myself up into a sitting position. Axel and Vexen both watched me carefully, expecting that I would fall back down, but relaxed and looked at me curiously when I didn't.

"Is she good to go then, Vexen?" I heard Axel ask behind me.

"Yes, it would seem there are no ill effects" Vexen replied. "I would keep an eye on her for tonight. She did lose a lot of blood. It's a wonder that she's able to sit up…". The look he gave me made me nervous. It was almost as if he was studying me like one of his experiments… I was thankful when Axel came over and helped me down from the table I was on.

We walked out of the room and into the hall, which was just as dimly lit. I was able to walk mostly on my own, but Axel made sure to watch me as we went up a staircase, fearing that I didn't have the strength to climb it. He had a serious expression, and looked as if his mind was focused on something while we walked. Once we reached the top, I could see a familiar brightly lit white hallway; we had been in the basement of the castle. I didn't know what had happened back there with the dusks, but it had saved my life.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Darkness Attacks

**Chapter 4 – The Darkness Attacks**

"She's begun to show power" said Axel. He was in the throne room, standing on the cylinder at the bottom. There was a single Organization member on the highest chair in the room.

"Good" said Xemnas. "She's developing well. She will be useful in our plans".

"What's the next step?" asked Axel.

"She is to remain in the castle for now" said Xemnas calmly. "Things need to be taken slowly to bring out her abilities".

"Understood" said Axel.

* * *

"Hey, what were you thinking about yesterday Axel?" I asked. I was in the common area with Roxas and Axel at a grouping of couches.

"Oh, nothing for you to worry about" he responded. "I'm just glad you were okay. That was some encounter you had! What made you think that those doors would lead to the common area? Typically, HUGE doors signify an exit ya know" he said playfully. "If you hadn't told me you'd gotten lost, I'd have thought you'd have been trying to escape! And that wouldn't be very good…". There was a tinge of seriousness to his last sentence.

"Oh Axel, relax!" Roxas chimed in. "I don't think she meant to open the door and let dusks in! This place is HUGE! I even get lost sometimes!". We all laughed, I a little more conservatively. I was grateful for Roxas jumping in. I really HAD gotten lost. Still, Axel reiterating my 'not allowed to leave' status didn't exactly fill me with happy thoughts. It just went to show how fast things could change if I stepped out of line.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Axel suddenly said happily. There he went… changing on a dime. "Roxas and I have the day off!".

"Uh, I… don't know" I said. "What do you guys normally do on your days off?" It was hard to believe it was only my third day here. It felt like a lifetime already.

"Well… we could go get some sea-salt ice cream in Twilight Town!" Roxas suggested.

"I'm… not allowed to leave, remember?" I said quietly.

"How about this" Axel began, pointing his finger in midair. "We'll go pick some up, and bring it back for you, so we can all enjoy it together!".

"That sounds like a great idea!" said Roxas excitedly. "Does that sound good to you, Megan? Do you like sea-salt ice cream?".

"I've never had it before…" I said, looking a little surprised at the offer. "I'd love some!".

"Okay" said Roxas excitedly. "Then it's settled! Axel and I'll go and get some, and we'll come back and enjoy it together!". I nodded, with a half-smile. Axel and Roxas got up and opened a portal. I was left on my own.

Looking around the room, there were only a few others around. It was still morning, so the rest of them were probably still out on missions. I could see Zexion, Xigbar, and Larxene all sitting at different couches on their own. I turned back around to look out the large window at the back of the room. I could see Kingdom Hearts floating in the sky, and the darkness of the World That Never Was below. Nothing seemed to move; all was calm.

I saw someone in a black coat walk past and sit down opposite me on the couch where Axel had just been. They had dark silver hair, and were holding a book. It was Zexion.

"Hello Megan" he said looking mildly interested.

"Hi… Zexion" I replied. I wondered why he had gotten up from his seat to come see me. Normally, he was too engrossed in his book to talk to anyone. But he was looking right at me, his book closed and placed on the coffee table.

"How are you finding it here so far?" he asked. "Must be strange for you". He looked at me with interest.

"A little… I guess" I said. "It's nice that I have a room at least. I heard I have Roxas to thank for that. I haven't had the chance to talk to him about it yet…".

"Ah yes, he's taken quite a liking to you" said Zexion. I went a little red at hearing that, but quickly composed myself. "I see you've had a run-in with the dusks" he said, motioning towards my bandaged arm. "What happened?".

"I got lost looking for the common room yesterday" I said.

"Ah, I see" he responded thoughtfully. Just then, a darkness portal opened up near the window where Axel and Roxas had gone through earlier. They emerged, Roxas holding two sea-salt ice cream sticks, and Axel holding one. Axel briefly looked at the back of Zexion, before coming around the couch to sit beside him, while Roxas skipped over to me, and handed me the second stick.

"Here you go!" he said cheerfully. "Eat it before it melts!"

"Thanks!" I said, looking interested at the ice cream stick I had only ever seen on a videogame screen. Roxas took a seat beside me. A drop of the ice cream dripped onto my jeans. Roxas was right, it was melting fast. I looked at Axel, and then Roxas, who both nodded and started eating theirs, before I took a bite out of my own.

"Salty!" I said with a smile on my face. It was delicious. Just the right amount of cold and taste. Roxas giggled. He looked happy that I was enjoying it.

"I can't believe how good this is!" I exclaimed as I took a few more bites. It was no wonder they had had this all the time after their missions in the game. Taking the last bite, I finished the stick. As I munched the last bit in my mouth, I went to put down the stick when I remembered it might say something on it. I looked at it, but there was nothing there. I had thought it might say 'Winner', but I supposed that'd be too easy for my first one.

Roxas and Axel both finished their ice cream shortly after I did; nobody won this time.

"Oh well" said Roxas. "That just means we'll have to get some again!". I laughed. I was in a really good mood; having sea-salt ice cream with Axel and Roxas was like a dream come true. Maybe things would get better.

But the happiness came to a swift end when I started feeling a tingling, and then pain in my left arm where the dusk had attacked. I grimaced and looked down at the bandaging wrapped around my arm. I could see a mist of darkness beginning to spill out of it. My eyes went wide, and a look of fear crossed my face. Axel saw it first, followed by Zexion, and then Roxas.

"Megan, are you okay?" I heard Roxas say, but I couldn't focus on anything but my arm at that moment. I began to curl in on myself, holding my arm above the injury in an attempt to stunt the pain I was feeling. I stood up, trying to get the darkness away from me. Axel and Zexion stood up in unison, and watched in astonishment as I shook my arm to try and shake the darkness away. It didn't do any good however; the darkness had begun to form into a ball on my arm, and without warning it shot toward my chest and knocked me over.

I was laying on my back on the floor beside the set of couches we were all sitting at. Axel, Zexion, and Roxas quickly rushed over and were standing over me with shocked faces. The ball of darkness was on the centre of my chest. It felt like it was trying to push inside me. I was all tense, trying to stop it from doing whatever it was trying to do.

"What the heck's it doing?!" I heard Axel say.

"It's fighting with the light inside her" said Zexion. "It senses she's a being of light". I faintly saw Larxene and Xigbar appear in the circle standing above me. I was going between squeezing my eyes shut, and letting them open to release the tension. They looked at me with interest. A moment later, the tension stopped, and I felt nothing as I stared blankly ahead. The ball had disappeared inside my chest.

"Megan?" I heard Roxas say. "Megan, are you alright?". I stared blankly for a few moments before shifting my eyes to look at him. He looked back at me with fear and concern in his eyes; a stark contrast to the fun we had been having just a few minutes previously. I couldn't feel anything. I could hear the sounds in the room; see the faces of the Organization members standing over me, but I couldn't feel. What had happened to me?

Suddenly, the emotions came rushing back, one at a time, slowly. I felt fear, and then sadness, followed by happiness and joy.

"Roxas…?" I said confused. "What… just happened?". Roxas looked at me, and then at Axel and Zexion. Xigbar was the one who spoke.

"The darkness went inside her" he said. "It took over for a moment. She's back now, but it still remains within her". The look on my face must've been one of complete shock. _I_ had darkness in me now? How the heck had this happened? I hadn't let it in; I fought vehemently to stop it, but it got in anyway. Oh no; was I going to be like Riku? Be fighting the darkness within me?

Feeling a bit better, I moved to prop myself up, but Axel stopped me, holding down my shoulder. He had a look of concern on his face, his emerald eyes watching me. They all watched me for a moment before Zexion spoke.

"I've never seen or heard of anything like this before…" he mused, holding his chin in his hand. "Typically, it only happens when you invite the darkness in, but she fought it. And it doesn't attack like that…". He flipped through his book. "I'll have to do more research on this. She should be fine for now, but there should be someone with her at all times. I don't know what kind of effect this will have".

Great. Just when I had gotten used to finding my way around the castle. No more freely walking about. Maybe it was for the best; if there was darkness in me now, perhaps it was better that someone was with me in case I had another fainting spell.


	6. Chapter 5 - The Darkness Within

**Chapter 5 – The Darkness Within**

I was walking down the hall with my guard. On duty today was Luxord. He was doing tricks with his deck of cards while we walked. Basically, every day now I went to the common area. Wasn't there anything else to do in this castle? I almost felt like I was going a little stir crazy; always seeing the same walls. Mind you, even if I DID see another part of the castle, everything would likely look the same, as all the walls in the castle were the same bright white. That had been the reason I'd gotten lost on my second day after all.

We rounded the corner, and entered the long hallway that led to the common area. Luxord wasn't much of a talker; he seemed more interested in his cards than me. This was strange to me, as in the game he seemed to like to taunt Sora. Maybe he was trying to learn more about me before coming up with an insult. I continued walking alongside him, when suddenly the floor turned into a black puddle beneath me. My feet were trapped, and it was sucking me in.

"Ahh!" I shrieked. Luxord had moved a few paces ahead of me, and looked back to see why I had screamed. His expression quickly changed to one of determination. In the space of a few seconds, he lunged toward me, grabbing me by the waist, and pulled me from the puddle of darkness. Bent at the waist over his shoulder a few feet away, I could see the puddle disappear behind him. What the heck was that!?

He put me down a few seconds later, and looked at me, I would assume, to make sure I hadn't suffered any ill effects.

"It would seem the darkness is after you" he said contemplatively in his British accent, standing back after he'd finished observing me. "You must be strong indeed. Take care that the darkness within does not take you over completely". What? What did that mean? What he said made no sense to me. Wait. Had _I_ summoned that puddle? No way. I wasn't even thinking about anything remotely like that. _But you were thinking of leaving this place._ Hmm, maybe that was true, but ME summoning a puddle into the darkness?

We continued walking down the hall, Luxord making sure I was at least a pace or two in front this time. I didn't think twice about the voice in my head that wasn't my own; I was too wound up about the puddle that had tried to engulf me. Reaching the common area, I looked around hopefully for Axel or Roxas, but neither were there. I hung my head in disappointment; they hadn't been around for a few days now. And not just in the mornings, but I hadn't seen them all day.

Glancing around the room, I caught the familiar sight of Demyx. He was at a set of couches on his own, quietly playing his sitar. I walked in his direction, Luxord following. Sitting down on the couch opposite with my watcher, I listened to him play. I didn't have the heart to interrupt; he seemed to be very into his music, such that he didn't notice our presence until he was finished his song.

"Oh, Megan hey! I didn't see you there!" he said after he looked up, surprised at the sudden company. "Luxord" he nodded to my companion. "What's up?".

"That was really good!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Do you always play like that?"

"No, not always" Demyx replied. "Depends on the day. Sometimes I can really get into it, but a lot of the time it doesn't work out that way." He looked at me and smiled slightly. "I'm just glad someone's appreciative of it! Everyone always seems annoyed when I play around here". Luxord interjected.

"That's because you're usually playing loud, annoying music while the rest of us are trying to relax!" he said sternly. Demyx almost fell off the couch trying not to drop his sitar. He had taken Luxord's comment as if it had hit him across the face.

"Well excuse me for not playing music to your taste!" Demyx said sarcastically. Luxord simply sighed.

"If you could play some calmer music every now and then, like the song you just played now, perhaps it wouldn't get the rest of us so up in arms" he said a little more calmly.

"Got it" said Demyx, saluting Luxord with two fingers and a smile, seemingly no longer fazed by the almost-argument from a few minutes previous. I giggled. Demyx was so laid back. Probably the most care-free of all the organization members, save Roxas maybe.

" 'Fraid I'm gonna have to break up the fun" came a voice from the left of us. I turned to see Xigbar standing there with his eyepatch. He had that same smirk on his face that I always saw in the games; not a friendly one, more like he was up to no good.

"Xigbar" Luxord said, acknowledging him with a nod, and making eye contact. Then Xigbar looked at me.

"The Superior wants to see her" he said to the others, not taking his eyes off me. Then, looking at Luxord he said "I'll take over from here if that's alright with you". Luxord nodded, got up, and walked away, leaving just the three of us. Demyx was messing with something on his sitar, seemingly ignoring the conversation. "Time to go" Xigbar said to me. He waited for me to get up. Guess I didn't have much of a choice. Couldn't keep the leader waiting. I may have had semi-freedom, but I was still technically their prisoner.

I got up and walked toward Xigbar, who motioned for me to go first. We exited the common area and walked in a different direction than I normally took. I had never been this way; even during the tour with Demyx. It wasn't long before we reached a set of double doors. From my experience, double doors in this place meant an important room. So far, the only double doors I had seem were to common areas and exits.

"Go on in" said Xigbar. I reached out my hands to push the doors up. Walking into the space, I could see it was a large, high-ceilinged room. Ahead of me was a cylinder rising up a little from the floor, surrounded by a circle of thrones of various heights. As with everything in this castle, it was all white. I took a few paces forward, and heard the doors close behind me.

I walked up onto the cylinder in the centre of the room and looked up. This was the meeting place for all the Organization members; where I had seen them having their meetings throughout the games.

"Welcome, Megan" I jumped. I hadn't noticed anyone in the room. But then, looking up at the highest throne, way above me, I saw him. He was sitting calmly in his throne with his hood down, long silver hair visible, and his eyes focused on me. I gulped, then stood up straight, trying to relax a bit. "You already know who I am" he said.

"Xemnas" I said. I was surprisingly calm, not croaking out names like before. I guess since I had been here a while now, I wasn't as nervous. I WAS nervous in the presence of Xemnas, but only inside. I was trying to put on a collected exterior, even though deep down I wasn't as confident.

"I see darkness in you" he said. "It seems it has gained a foothold in your body". How'd he know that? Was it because he had darkness too? Or was it just a sense Nobodies had? "It will serve you well" he paused, and then said "if it does not take you over completely".

I just stared at him blankly; what was I supposed to say? Yes, I knew I had darkness in me, and so far, it was winning. It had penetrated my chest, and tried to suck me into a puddle this morning. Xemnas broke into my thoughts.

"That is all" he said. I turned back toward the door, and walked off the raised cylinder. I didn't wait to see if Xemnas had teleported out; I simply walked toward the door, and left the room as quickly as I could. His deep, creepy-calm voice had left me on edge. I didn't want to be in there any longer than I had to.


	7. Chapter 6 - A Battle with the Darkness

**Chapter 6 – A Battle with the Darkness**

I woke up in my castle room. How long had I been here now? A week? Two weeks? I wasn't including the week where I was unconscious. I wasn't sure how long I had been here now to be honest; so much had happened.

I got up from my bed, glanced out the window at the dark sky, and headed for the door. Opening it up, I saw Zexion waiting for me out in the hall.

"Oh, hey Zexion" I said casually. "Are you on guard duty today?".

"Yes, it would seem so" he replied. We began to walk down the corridor.

"So, have you found anything out about what happened to me?" I asked.

"Not yet" he replied. "There's no record of anything like this ever happening before. We will have to take it step by step and see what happens". Great. I got to be a guinea pig. "How are you feeling today? I heard the darkness tried to pull you in the other day".

"I'm fine today" I said. "It seems to only affect me when it decides to make an appearance. I don't seem to have any control over when that happens though". Zexion put his hand up to his chin in a thinking posture.

"Hmm…" he contemplated. "It sounds similar to Riku's experience with the darkness". Uh oh. That was exactly the horrifying thought I'd had when the darkness had first gone inside me. Was I going to have to fight it from taking me over like Riku did?

Riku was fighting it so long because he was afraid of it. That was the power it had over him. Once he stopped being afraid of the darkness, he was able to control it. Did that mean I had to do the same? I had been nothing but fearful of it ever since it went inside me. What other reaction would I be expected to have!?

I took a breath. Zexion had wandered a few paces ahead of me while I'd been lost in my thoughts. I had taken a few quick paces to attempt to catch up with him, when a darkness portal opened in the wall beside me. A hand came out, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me in.

When I came through the other side, I didn't see who it was before they released my wrist. The force of them pulling me though and then releasing caused me to fall to the ground with an 'oof'. I heard the portal close immediately behind me. Without getting up, I looked in front of where I had landed. I was in what looked like the in-between. The floor and all around me was a dark tint of blue, and there were strange shapes swirling around. It looked like where Kairi had come when she ran through a portal trying to get away from Axel in Kingdom Hearts 2.

I guessed that this was where the Organization members always went before heading to another world. Guess you couldn't portal directly from world to world, but had to come to this in-between place first. I pivoted around, still on the ground, toward the direction of where the hand had released my wrist. I wished I hadn't. Standing a short distance away from me was Xehanort's heartless, Ansem.

"Wahh!" I shrieked, backing a few steps away on my arms and legs. What the heck?! Why was Ansem here?! He had tried to take over Riku, and Riku had kept him at bay! An evil grin crossed Ansem's face. He walked a few paces forward, closing the gap that I had just created.

"Give in to the darkness Megan" he said mesmerizingly. His face went from a grin to being serious. He reached out his hand toward my chest, and made a circle movement with it. Suddenly, there was a dull ache in the middle of my chest. Looking down, I could see the darkness ball swirling there. I grimaced. Ansem chuckled. "Give in to it Megan. Give in!".

No. I couldn't give in. No matter what he did to me, I had to fight him! The conversation I had just had with Zexion couldn't have been timed better. If I wanted to beat it, I couldn't be afraid of the darkness. I gulped. Easier said than done. I looked up at Ansem. He was grinning again, clearly taking pleasure in this.

"I won't give in!" I declared. Ansem's expression changed to one of disappointment. Closing what little space there was left between us, he walked right up in front of me. Just then, something welled up inside me, and I felt a stick-shaped object materialize in my hand. Without looking at it, I jumped up and used it to slash at him.

"Haaaaaaa!" I yelled as I attacked. I hit him diagonally across the chest. He jumped back, grimacing, and holding his shoulder where I had made the initial contact. He now looked at me with anger; looking scarier than he did before, if that was possible. I looked at the object in my hand. It was a Keyblade! I had materialized a freakin' Keyblade! It wasn't like one that I had ever seen. It had a curvy shape, and was full of equal swirls of black and white.

I pushed my excitement to the side for the moment. I wasn't out of danger yet. I looked back at Ansem determinedly, brimming with new-found confidence. He was still holding his shoulder, but had quickly recovered his posture. I held my Keyblade in a battle stance. It was in my right hand, pointed to the ground diagonally.

Just as I was preparing for the next round, a portal opened a short distance to my right, Zexion walking through. Ansem's expression changed the moment he saw him. He took one look at Zexion, then gave me an evil grin before disappearing in a wisp of darkness. I relaxed at seeing him leave, and then looked at Zexion, who was walking toward me. He looked at my Keyblade with surprise, before looking me in the eye.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am now" I replied wearily. I was glad he showed up; I had been going on nothing but adrenaline.

"You're a Keyblade wielder" he stated incredulously.

"I… am?" I said, unsure. I looked at the weapon in my hand, in disbelief at what I was seeing. I hadn't fully registered it before; everything had happened so fast.

"That's not a normal Keyblade either" he continued. "I sense both light and dark in it. It is half of the light, and half of the darkness". I stared blankly at him, and then at the Keyblade. It dematerialized from my hand. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I was feeling a bit weak. I couldn't focus on what was happening.

Just then, the golden glow enveloped my body. Zexion looked at it with interest. After it dissipated, I felt better.

"Can… we get outta here?" I asked Zexion sheepishly. "I don't really wanna hang around in case Ansem comes back". Zexion put his hand to his chin in a thinking posture again.

"I have an idea to help with that" he said. He reached out his arm and created a portal, motioning for me to go through first. Arriving on the other side, we came out in some kind of lab/study room. It was a bright white room with a large desk at the back, and scientific instruments on a table in the center.

Zexion opened a door on the far side of the room, and disappeared inside. He emerged a minute later holding a black organization coat. Walking over to me, he held it out on his arm.

"This will help you to control the darkness" he said. "It's how we control the darkness within ourselves". I looked at him incredulously, in disbelief that I was getting a coat. I wasn't part of the Organization, but I was getting a coat! Guess it was similar to how DiZ gave Riku one to help him control his darkness. The same thing was happening to me.

"That wasn't Ansem you saw back there" said Zexion. "It was a manifestation of the darkness within you created by your mind". Great. I got to be terrorized by Ansem because he's the only manifestation of the darkness I know. I was pulling it from Riku's experience with the darkness with the REAL Ansem.

Zexion motioned for me to take the coat. I took it from him and put it on, doing up the long zipper, leaving the hood down, and pulling my long, light brown hair with faint blonde streaks out to hang behind my back. It fit me perfectly, and was actually quite soft and comfortable.

"Suits you well" Zexion said with approval. I looked at him and half smiled, trying to hold back a bit of giddiness I felt. Zexion moved to the other door in the room, opening it to reveal the hallway. "Shall we join the others?" he said. I nodded, and walked through the door, Zexion following and closing it behind us. We began walking down the hall, and ended up at the common room a short while later.

Walking in, I saw Axel and Roxas at their usual spot in the back-left corner. They were back! I ran to join them.

"What happened" said Saïx. "Her presence disappeared from the castle". Zexion was still at the front of the room. He turned around to face Saïx, who was leaning up against the wall just inside the entrance to the common area.

"The darkness within her took on the form of Ansem, and pulled her into the in-between" said Zexion seriously. "By the time I arrived, she was holding a Keyblade, and had landed an attack on him".

"An interesting development" said Saïx with interest.

"There's something else you should know" said Zexion. Saïx looked at him. "Her Keyblade is half of the light, and half of the darkness. I've never seen anything like it".

"Woah, Megan!" Roxas exclaimed as I sat down at the grouping of couches. "You're wearing a coat!". I looked down at my new attire.

"Yeah" I said incredulously. "Zexion just gave it to me. Said it'll help me to control the darkness inside me. It decided to make an appearance again this morning".

"Are you alright?" said Roxas with a concerned look.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I said. "You'll never believe what happened… I materialized a Keyblade!".


	8. Chapter 7 - Going on a Mission

**Chapter 7 – Going on a Mission**

I woke up the next morning in my castle room. While lying in bed, I pulled my arm up above my head and studied my hand. The Keyblade had materialized in it the previous day. It had come out of nowhere. There was just this feeling of power building inside me, and then it suddenly appeared! How the heck did I have the power of the Keyblade? I wasn't even from this universe!

There were a lot of questions forming in my mind. Where did this power come from? What was that golden light that enveloped me every time I was injured? Why did the darkness act that way and invade me like it did? What did it mean to have a Keyblade of both light and darkness? This was way over my head. Nothing remotely like this had happened in the games, but I suppose this wasn't the games. This was a REAL version of the Kingdom Hearts universe, and I was in it experiencing my own story.

I sat up and glanced out the window. Kingdom Hearts was hanging in the dark sky, it's light reflected on the buildings below. Hearts floated toward it every now and again. Would my Keyblade add to it as well?

I got up from the bed and headed for the door. I opened it, expecting to greet my guard for the day, but to my surprise, there was no one there this morning. I walked down the corridor alone. I knew my way to the common area quite well now. Even before Zexion had decreed that I have a watcher, I had gotten a good idea of how to get there on my own.

I arrived at the alcove to the common area a short while later. Walking in, the room was mostly empty. Saïx was standing near the window at the back of the room, his gaze focused on me. Axel was standing beside him. _Uh oh. What did he want?_ I hadn't seen Saïx since the day I woke up here.

I walked toward him, trying to look confident, but failing miserably. Too many things were flying around in my mind. I felt fine here when I was hanging around some of the other members, they were fairly nice, but when it came to Saïx and Xemnas, I was reminded of my situation. I came to a stop in front of Saïx. He and Axel were the only ones in the room right now.

"Megan, today you will be going on a mission with Axel" he stated. My face must've shown an expression of complete surprise. I had NOT been expecting that.

"You… mean I'm allowed to leave the castle?" I asked with surprise. Saïx' expression remained unchanged as he answered.

"You're newfound Keyblade powers are of more use to us outside the castle" he said. I looked at him, still dumbfounded at this sudden change, but quickly regained my composure. I looked at Axel, who motioned for me to come toward him. As I approached, he turned and opened a portal, and motioned for me to go through. He followed right behind.

After a short trip through the darkness portal, we arrived in the Tram Common area of Twilight Town. I came through first, Axel arriving after and stopping to my left. I looked at the sky and the buildings around the area. They were so much brighter than the World That Never Was. Everything had an ambient glow to it. It was refreshing to see new surroundings after so long cooped up inside the castle.

"Alright Megan" Axel began. I turned to look at him. He greeted me back with a friendly expression. "Today you're doing basic training. Saïx wants you able to fight with your Keyblade in order to complete missions". I was taken aback at hearing that.

"Fight?" I exclaimed in a slightly higher pitch than my normal voice. "Complete missions? But I'm not part of the Organization…" Axel's expression changed to a half-grin.

"You might as well be" he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "You're wearing the coat, and you've got a weapon. You definitely look the part!". He laughed. I looked at the coat I was wearing for the umpteenth time, and blushed slightly as I looked back up at him. I giggled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right" I said, half laughing, but also unsure of myself. I never would have expected THIS, but then again, I never would have expected to be a Keyblade wielder either! Guess I didn't really have a choice in the matter though. If I didn't do as I was told, Saïx was sure to come down on me. Guess I'd just have to make the best of it.

A few dusks appeared a short distance from where we were standing.

"There's your target" said Axel, pointing at the them. "Go and take 'em out!". I looked at him, and then at the dusks. They didn't look so bad. They looked bigger than what I had seen on the TV screen while playing the game, but I figured I could handle them.

I got into a battle stance and mindset, ready to take them on. My Keyblade appeared in my right hand on cue, and I ran towards them, determined to win. I slashed the one dancing on the right first; it disappeared immediately, while the others dodged. One had moved behind me. I pivoted around and took a step back so that they were both in front of me again. With two more slashes, I took them both out.

Standing up straight, I relaxed my posture, holding my Keyblade at my side. That wasn't so bad; I could do this! I heard Axel come up behind me. Turning around, I saw he was clapping slowly.

"Not bad" he said encouragingly. "You sure you've never fought before?" _Not unless I was counting the desperate slash I had thrown at Ansem,_ I thought.

"No…" I said incredulously. "I haven't". I felt confident.

"Alright then. Let's see if you can do some magic" he said. _Magic?_ I thought. _This should be interesting…_

"Um, how do I do that?" I asked. "I wouldn't even know where to start…". Axel grinned.

"That's something that comes from inside" he said calmly. "You have to will it to come out". I looked at him, and then at my Keyblade. _I had to 'will' it?_ I thought. This was going to be interesting. "There are some Heartless over there" Axel pointed to a small group of black figures walking around a short distance from us. "See if you can hit them from here".

I aimed my Keyblade, and yelled "Fire!". But nothing happened. Axel head dropped and then recovered. He looked me in the eye.

"You have to give it more than that" he said. "Really feel the magic. You have to put thought and feeling into it". I thought about that for a moment. I had to focus; really be involved in the moment. I moved to give it another try.

Moving my Keyblade into my battle stance, I stepped forward, thrust it in front of me and yelled "Fire!" focusing all my energy on hitting the Heartless. A ball of fire burst from the tip of my Keyblade, and hit one of the Heartless, causing it to disappear and release a heart into the sky. I had done it! I had performed magic! I turned around to face Axel, who had a smirk on his face. He gave me a thumbs up.

"Well done" he said approvingly. "Now take out the other one, and we're done for the day". I turned back around, and cast the fire spell again. It hit the Heartless head-on. It disappeared, releasing a pink heart that floated up into the sky. I watched as it ascended until I couldn't see it any longer. Was it going to join Kingdom Hearts back on the World That Never Was? Axel broke into my thoughts.

"You seem to have the hang of it" he said sounding satisfied. I turned to look at him. "That's it for our mission today. I'd say you're a fighting force now". I smiled, feeling proud of my accomplishment. "Hey, since you're allowed out on missions now, want to join Roxas and I for ice cream? It's something we do after our missions each day". My pride turned to complete excitement; it took all I had not to burst.

"I'd love to!" I said, trying to keep my excitement under control. I was going to have sea-salt ice cream with Axel and Roxas on the clock tower! I couldn't believe this was happening! It was a dream come true!

We headed toward the tall tower, and were approaching the doors when we saw Roxas come out of an alleyway.

"Hey Axel!" he said cheerfully as he ran up to us. "Megan! You're allowed out of the castle now?".

"Yeah!" I said glowing. "Saïx sent me on a mission this morning with Axel. Said that my Keyblade is of more use outside the castle. We just did some combat training".

"And she's a force to be reckoned with!" said Axel. "She took down those dusks like they were nothing! Magic took a bit more work though…" he said teasingly.

"Hey! I got it eventually, didn't I?" I said. We all laughed.

"Shall we head up?" asked Roxas in a friendly tone. Axel and I nodded. We ascended the clock tower, and came out to the ledge on top. The view was extraordinary. You could see the various tones of auburn in the sky from up there even more than from down on the ground. It was beautiful. I remembered what Axel had said in one of the games about red travelling the farthest.

We sat down on the ledge, and Roxas handed Axel and I each a stick of sea-salt ice cream. We all bit into them at the same time. I finished chewing my first bite and swallowed. A smile took over my face. This was my happiest moment here so far; even happier than the time Axel and Roxas had brought ice cream back to the common room for me, just before the darkness had invaded my body. That felt like so long ago.

Now I had a Keyblade that no one had ever seen before, and had to wear an Organization cloak to keep the darkness within me at bay. What a strange turn of events.


	9. Chapter 8 - Kingdom Hearts

**Chapter 8 – Kingdom Hearts**

 _I was standing in the in-between. I looked around, but there was no one there at first. I was in my Organization coat with the hood down. Suddenly, a person came through a darkness portal a short distance in front of me wearing an Organization coat with their hood up. I couldn't tell who it was. They took an offensive position and sent a fireball filled with darkness at me._

 _"Wah!" I squealed as I threw myself to the left to dodge the attack. I fell roughly to the ground on my side with an 'oof'. Looking up, the hooded person began to approach me. I pulled myself backwards on my hands and feet. They continued to advance, summoning a weapon to their hand in the shape of a fin. It was red and black in colour._

 _I knew that blade. It was Riku's, but if that was the case, why was he attacking me? I put on a determined expression and summoned my Keyblade, thrusting it in front of me just in time to parry the person's attack. I pushed them back, and leaped back and into a standing position, my Keyblade at the ready._

" _Who are you?" I demanded, my adrenaline taking over. The person was standing a short distance away from me. They didn't approach, but instead tilted their head a bit at hearing my question. They seemed to be contemplating something._

 _"Never heard anyone speak before in the darkness" they said. It was a deep voice. I looked at them with a confused expression. The person stood up straight, and then looked taken aback. "You're her!" they exclaimed with realization._

I woke up in my castle room, sitting up with a start. I was sweating all over, and breathing heavily. What had just happened to me? Had that been a dream? It was so vivid… it felt real. I looked around the room; there was no one there. Taking a breath, I calmed myself down. It was just a dream.

Just then, Demyx walked in the door.

"Yo, Megan!" he said cheerfully.

"Demyx?" I said. No one had come in my room since the first day. "What are you doing here?".

"Saïx got tired of waiting, so he sent me to check on you" Demyx replied. Had I slept in later than usual? "Everything alright?".

"Yeah… everything's fine" I replied. I didn't want to say anything about the weird dream I had had. I was still trying to figure it out myself.

"Okay then" said Demyx cheerfully. "You're on mission with me today. We're headed to Olympus Coliseum". I sighed and got up from the bed, walking over to him. Another mission. Was this going to be my new routine? Axel was right; I might as well be a member of the Organization at this point. Pushing my thoughts aside, I looked at Demyx, who opened a portal, and we headed through.

We arrived a few moments later at the entrance to the coliseum. There were two tall figures of fighters on either side of the door.

"What's our mission today?" I asked Demyx. He looked at me with a cheery face, and pointed his finger in the air while responding.

"You just need to worry about taking out every Heartless and Nobody we come across, kay?" he said nonchalantly. "I'll take care of the rest". I looked at him skeptically, to which he simply smiled and then walked toward the entrance. I followed, catching up and walking beside him.

We came into the entrance area, where I saw some black figures appear and begin crawling around on the ground. Heartless. I summoned my Keyblade and attacked them. After a few swipes, they disappeared, releasing hearts.

"Nice one!" said Demyx enthusiastically, giving me a thumbs up. "Axel trained you well!". I grinned. We continued on through the entrance and came out into the coliseum. It was a large area with seating on both sides, and a central fighting platform. I looked around, but there were no Heartless of Nobodies to be seen. We made our way towards the door on the other side.

Just as we were about to cross the central platform however, a large Heartless appeared in front of us. It was huge; had to have been at least ten times my height! It was human shaped with arms and legs, with a huge hole in its chest in the shape of a heart. It was one of the big heartless that Sora had fought many times in the games.

We backed a few paces away as it stood in front of us. I looked at Demyx, who did a face palm and shook his head.

"Guess I'm going to have to do some fighting after all…" he muttered and then sighed, summoning his sitar. "Ok Megan, you up for this?" he asked looking at me with a grin. I quickly gulped away any nerves that were threatening to make an appearance. It was just a Heartless, just a bigger version of the small ones I had taken out with ease. I just had land a lot more attacks to take it out. I took a breath.

"Yeah, let's do it!" I said confidently.

"Alright!" he said. "Dance, water, dance!". Water began seemingly appearing out of nowhere as he played his sitar. It rushed to strike the Heartless, which took a direct hit, leaning back a bit. That was my cue. I ran toward its legs and slashed as many times as I could to weaken it before it came back to its normal standing position.

I ran a short distance away to its side, while Demyx was distracting it from the front. When he hit it again, I ran toward it from the side, jumped up its bent knee and struck it straight across the chest. A red line remained there for a moment after I landed on the other side before disappearing. The Heartless fell to the ground.

"Nice one Megan!" I heard Demyx yell. "It's nearly down! One more should do it!". I didn't hesitate. Before it could get back up, I leaped on top of it, and plunged my Keyblade straight into the middle of its chest. Its arms and legs fell to the ground, and then its entire body disappeared underneath me. I dropped to the ground below. A large pink heart floated up into the sky. I watched it as it disappeared into the clouds.

"Good job Megan!" Demyx walked up to me as I was staring at the sky. I turned to look at him. "You're a quick learner! That was incredible!". I blushed a bit.

"Thanks" I said. After that, we went through a few more doors before coming to a much more ornate one than the others. Demyx motioned for me to wait while he went through it. I heard what sounded like a chest opening, and then a few moments later, he reappeared.

"Okay, mission accomplished!" he said. "Man, I'm tired".

"All you did was play your sitar in one battle!" I teased. His expression changed to one of a spoilt child.

"That's a lot of work!" he pouted. "I'm don't like fighting. Not really my style". I giggled at him. I remembered that about Demyx in the game. He was an interesting one. Even Sora thought so.

"What did you get?" I asked inquisitively. Demyx' expression became solemn.

"That's not for you to worry about" he said, and then completely changed tune. "Shall we head back?". He had gone back to his cheery demeanor. I sighed and nodded. So, I was on missions now, but they weren't going to let me know what they were up to. I suppose that made sense. Shouldn't let a prisoner know you're plans, else I might try and foil them.

Demyx opened a portal, with me walking through first, and him following. We arrived in the common area. Right after the portal closed, Demyx quickly found himself a couch and plopped on it, looking like he was going to have a nap. Wow. He REALLY didn't like fighting.

"Megan!" I turned around just in time to see Roxas before he grabbed my arm, created a portal, and pulled me through it. A short while later, we arrived on top of the clock tower in Twilight Town, and he released my arm.

"Woah, hey!" I protested. Roxas simply grinned and handed me a stick of sea-salt ice cream. I sighed with a smile, and we walked around the corner to the ledge. Axel was already sitting there. We joined him, sitting on either side.

"Sorry about that, Megan" said Roxas. "Didn't want Saïx to sense your presence in the castle before you got the chance to have ice cream!".

"It's fine" I said. "Do that anytime you like Roxas, I like having ice cream with you guys!". I took a bite from my stick, and then sighed. Those hearts I was releasing were going to Kingdom Hearts; that big one today too. That was how it happened in the games. I wanted to ask Axel and Roxas about it.

"Hey, guys…" I began. Roxas' pair of blue eyes, and Axel's emerald ones both looked at me. "Is the Organization trying to complete Kingdom Hearts? Is that what happens to the heart every time I defeat a Heartless? It goes to Kingdom Hearts?". I paused and then continued. "And that'll make you guys whole?". There was a long pause. Had I said too much? Axel broke the silence, speaking solemnly.

"You really do know a lot about us" he said and then sighed. "Yes, we're trying to become whole. We're Nobodies, it's all we've ever wanted. That's the goal we're all working towards". Roxas chimed in.

"As long as I've got you guys, I'm happy!" he said changing the tone of the conversation to a happier one. Axel and I both smiled. The heaviness lifted, and the direction of the conversation changed.

"So where did you guys go today?" I asked curiously.

"I had a mission here in Twilight Town today" said Roxas cheerfully. "This is my favourite world. It's nice seeing all the colours of the sun".

"Mine gets to stay a secret from both of you" said Axel. Roxas and I both put on a sourpuss face.

"What? C'mon Axel, you can't tell us where you went today?" said Roxas.

"Nope, top secret" teased Axel. Roxas tried to put on the most pathetic face he could to get Axel to tell, but Axel wasn't having it. I smiled. It was funny seeing the two of them quibble like this.


	10. Chapter 9 - The Truth

Here's Chapter 9! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter 9 – The Truth**

"She's been spotted in Twilight Town" said the slightly higher unknown voice. "Wielding a Keyblade, and wearing one of the Organization's coats. It would seem that she's come into some of her powers in the short amount of time she's been here".

"What do we do?" asked the deeper unknown voice. "If they're letting her out of the castle, then we may have a chance to get her back".

"Yes, but we must be careful" said the higher voice. "They can't know that we're watching, or else we may lose our chance. Be ready in Twilight Town for when she appears again, but ensure that you aren't spotted. They can't know we're here".

"Understood".

* * *

I arrived at the common area at what seemed like on time this morning. There was no one waiting at my door, and there were still people around. Saïx was standing near the window at the back of the room as usual. His eye contact told me that I was going on a mission again today. I saw Zexion standing beside him.

Walking up to him, his cold, unfeeling gaze met mine, and he gave his usual ramble.

"Megan, today you will be on-mission with Zexion" he said. I felt like saluting and saying 'Yes, sir!', but decided against it. Didn't want to cause any unnecessary tensions. I looked at Zexion, who tried to look friendly, but seemed to be engrossed in his book. I hadn't seen him since he had given me the coat. I wondered what he was studying?

Just as that thought passed my mind, he closed what he was reading, and looked me in the eye.

"Ready?" he said. I nodded. He turned, opened a portal, and we walked through. We came out in Twilight Town, near the underground entrance. Zexion turned to me and said "I'm sure you're used to this by now, but your job on this mission is to take out every Heartless and Nobody we come across". I nodded.

We entered the underground area of Twilight Town. Moving through the tunnels, there were a few Nobodies scattered amongst some Heartless. They were small-fry; I took them out without a problem. We came to a large square room. Zexion walked to the other end, and just as I was about to follow, a whole hoard of Nobodies sprung up out of the ground around me. They were small, but there were a lot of them.

"Fire!" I yelled aiming my Keyblade at one. It disappeared, but there were so many that it was quickly replaced. I looked around at the number of them surrounding me. A few were wiped from existence. I looked at Zexion; he had his book open, and was casting his magic, using it to take out some of the lessor Nobodies.

Now there was a single circle around me. I hadn't cast anything other than the Fire spell before, but thought Thunder was more appropriate in this instance, so figured I'd give it a shot. I raised my Keyblade above my head, and with conviction yelled "Thunder!". Bright yellow lightning bolts appeared all around me, attacking and vanquishing the lessor Nobodies. I saw the last one disappear just as I brought my Keyblade back to my side.

"You've got some serious power there, Megan" Zexion said, walking over to me. I looked at him, trying to determine what I should say in response.

"Uh, thanks" I said. "It just kinda came to me". I didn't know what else to say. Was that spell more powerful than normal? I didn't know. Before we could continue the conversation though, I heard a portal open behind me, and without warning, a hand pushed me in the back, and I fell into another portal that appeared to my left.

I came out the other side, taking a few heavy steps, trying to keep my balance before stopping myself from running into a wall. Why when I get pushed or pulled through a portal by some unknown force, did I come out with such inertia? When I walked through on missions with members of the Organization, we came through walking, but every time I got pulled or pushed through, it was like I had been breaking the speed limit in there! It didn't make sense.

I turned around so my back faced the wall. Just as I did, a figure in an Organization coat with their hood up appeared through the same darkness portal. They looked exactly like the person who had attacked me in my dream.

"You!" I exclaimed. The portal closed behind them, and they walked to the right, seemingly unfazed by my outburst. I followed their path with my eyes, and was surprised to see someone I recognized. Off to the right of where I was standing was a computer with many monitors. Sitting at the desk was a figure wrapped entirely in red cloth.

"DiZ?" I asked incredulously. The man turned his seat around, the other in the Organization coat now standing to his left.

"Yes Megan. I am DiZ. And I suppose you also know my true identity as well" he said. I went to answer him, but he put his hand up indicating that I not. After a moment, I started a different trail of conversation. "If you're DiZ, then…". I looked at the hooded figure. "You must be Riku!".

I paused a moment. "But that doesn't make sense!" I began. "All of the Organization members are at the Castle That Never Was. The two of you didn't team up until after Castle Oblivion, when a number of them faded…".

"There is much that you do not know" began DiZ. "The story from your world isn't exactly the reality. Many things are the same, but not all. The Organization members that Sora defeated at Castle Oblivion did not fade, so they are still part of the Organization. As well, Xion never existed, so Roxas never left the Organization".

"Wait, does that mean that Sora is still asleep?" I asked.

"No, Sora is awake and continuing his quest" said DiZ. "Naminé was able to reconstruct his memories without Roxas". I took a second to process this. Based on what DiZ was saying, it sounded like I was somewhere in the Kingdom Hearts 2 storyline, but with all the Organization members still around. But I couldn't take that at face value. This version of the Kingdom Hearts universe was different than the games, which meant that things might not follow the events I knew exactly.

Wait a minute. If DiZ knew about my world and the version of the story there, then…

"Were you the one's protecting me from the Organization?" I asked.

"Yes," DiZ stated. "We have been watching over you for some time. However, the Organization was relentless. They got to you without us even realizing".

"What do they want from me?" I asked. "Saïx said they captured me because I know things about them that no one else does, and that I would stay at the castle so that I couldn't tell anyone their plans. Anyone who's played the games on my world would have that knowledge!".

"That's partly true" said DiZ. "But they didn't tell you the whole story. You are the only one with knowledge of them that has the ability to use it against them". I took a step back, confused. DiZ continued. "I take it you've noticed powers you didn't know you had come to light". I looked at my Keyblade hand. "You have the power of the Keyblade for instance, as well as many other abilities that have yet to reveal themselves".

"So, what do they want with me?" I asked.

"They want to use your power for their own ends" said DiZ. "They've already got you collecting hearts for them, haven't they?". I had figured that part out already. "Xemnas knows you have power, but he doesn't know the full extent of it". _I_ didn't know the full extent of it either. "Your power will continue to manifest itself in new ways".

"But what about –" I began, but before I could finish, there was the sound of commotion outside the door to the room we were in.

"They've found us!" Riku said, but it was Ansem's voice.

"We must leave at once!" said DiZ. "They must have a way of tracking her". Riku opened a portal near the back of the room, and him and DiZ moved to stand in front of it. "Megan," DiZ said. I turned and looked at him. "Do not let them use your power for their own ends. We will get you out of there, but it will take time. Keep fighting until then".

The door to the room burst open. The darkness portal had just disappeared, and I turned around to see Zexion, Demyx, Axel and Saïx walk in.

"Megan, what happened?". It was Zexion who spoke. I couldn't tell them what I had learned. I had to play dumb for now.

"I don't know" I said. "I lost consciousness when I went through the portal, and just woke up a few minutes ago". Zexion and Demyx bought it, but I could see in his eyes that Saïx didn't. He didn't give any indication of this to the others. I couldn't tell what Axel was thinking.

"How did you find me?" I asked no one in particular.

"I had Vexen place a tracking chip in you the day we brought you to the castle" Saïx replied. "Did you really think we would let you roam around freely without such a precaution?". I looked at him, not sure how to respond. It was clearly a rhetorical question.

While still focusing his gaze on me, Saïx took control of the situation.

"Zexion, she was your responsibility today" he said with an iciness to his voice. "Take her back to the castle". Zexion walked toward me, took me by the upper arm, and opened a portal, walking me through. Saïx indicated for Demyx to go through after us.

"You don't buy it" said Axel carefully.

"She's hiding something" said Saïx. "Find out what it is".

* * *

Please let me know what you think in a review!


	11. Chapter 10 - Conflicted

Here's Chapter 10! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 10 - Conflicted**

I opened my eyes. I had woken up in my castle room again. _Should I even bother to get up?_ I thought. With the events of the previous day, I wasn't sure that Saïx would trust me to leave the castle on a mission ever again… I stared at the ceiling for a moment, contemplating. He was REALLY mad after what happened.

"Morning, sleepy head" came Axel's voice. I sat up in bed, and spotted him leaning against the wall in the far corner by the dresser. Did everyone just enter my room without permission? He stood up and walked a few paces forward away from the wall. "We're together on a mission again today". I must've looked surprised, as he gave me an encouraging smile.

After a moment, I got up from the bed and walked over to join him.

"Ready?" he said. I nodded. He opened a portal, and we walked through. We arrived at a world I never expected to see. It was Hollow Bastion. Did the Organization ever even go there in Kingdom Hearts 2? Then I remembered what DiZ had told me; events here may not follow the events of the game exactly.

We were on the outskirts of the castle; the main entrance was down the path ahead of us. I looked around in awe. The sky was a shade of purple, reflecting off the dull walls.

"Same deal as usual" said Axel. "Take out any Heartless and Nobodies we come across, got it memorized?". I smiled at his tagline, and then nodded. Taking out a few groups of Heartless on the path, we opened the main doors, and went inside. Axel kept a close watch on me as we walked in. The grand foyer was a bit dusty, but looked absolutely amazing in real life. The staircases running up the sides, and the fountain in the middle were more beautiful than any game could portray.

There wasn't any time to admire though. A group of Heartless had appeared in the center of the room, and were making their way towards us. I summoned my Keyblade, running at them. Slicing left, and then right a few times, I took out all but a few. I turned around to double back, but instead aimed my Keyblade and yelled "Fire!". The flaming ball engulfed the three remaining Heartless; their released hearts floating up into the sky. I didn't even break a sweat; it had become second nature now.

Axel walked through the area where the Heartless had just disappeared from, giving me a thumbs up. We continued on to the inner areas of the castle. There were Heartless around every corner. I felt like I didn't get a break; every room had a group of Heartless, some more than others. The place was teeming with them!

Finally, we reached the inner most chamber. I recognized it immediately. There was a huge cut-out in the wall in the shape of the Heartless symbol, with stairs leading up either side. This was where Sora had found Riku, and had released Kairi's heart. _Sora… where are you now?_ I thought. I could've really used his help. I had been with the Organization for a month now, and while I had made friends there, I was really their prisoner. I was being forced to do whatever they told me to.

Axel walked behind the staircase, and placed something in his pocket.

"Mission accomplished!" he said walking back toward me. I half-smiled, but was distracted. The conversation I had had with DiZ was replaying in my mind. How could I stop them from using my powers? I shuttered to think of what Saïx would do to me if I refused to take out Heartless. I had to think of something.

"Hello? Megan? Something wrong?" Axel said. I jumped.

"N-No, nothing!" I stuttered. I had been lost in my thoughts. I looked at him and put on my usual smile. I had to make it look like nothing had changed. Axel gave me a suspicious look for a second, but then changed back to his usual façade.

"Alright… you ready for some sea-salt ice cream?" he asked. I nodded happily at him. He smiled back, opened a portal, and we walked through. We arrived in Twilight Town, and ascended the clock tower. Roxas was already on the ledge waiting.

"Took you guys long enough!" he said sarcastically. Axel handed me a stick of ice cream, and I sat on Roxas' right.

"Sorry about that" said Axel. "There were A LOT of Heartless to take care of on our mission today".

"Yeah, and you made me take them all out on my own!" I yelled at him sarcastically, pulling a pout. Axel raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey, hey, don't blame me! Boss's orders!" Axel defended. Roxas broke out into laughter, and Axel and I followed shortly thereafter. When I was with Axel and Roxas, I could forget everything that had happened. Forget what the Organization had planned. I took another bite of my ice cream.

"So, Megan," Roxas began. "I heard you had a run-in the other day". I looked at him. His innocent blue eyes looked at me, waiting for an answer. No matter what, I couldn't tell them what had happened. We had become friends, but they were still members of the Organization. This was a secret I had to keep.

"Yeah, I don't know what happened" I began. "One moment I was fighting a whole hoard of dusks, and the next I got pushed into a portal and woke up somewhere else! I didn't even see who had done it; they pushed me from behind". I hated lying to them, but it was for the best.

"Zexion said he saw a man in one of our coats with the hood up" Axel said. "He said he saw him push you through, and then follow right after". Axel's eyes were piercing mine. Not in a threatening way, but unyielding.

"I don't know what to tell you guys" I said. "All I remember after falling into the portal is waking up in that room that you and the others found me in Axel. There was no one there". Axel broke off eye contact, and instead stared out at the setting sun.

"Well, I'm just glad you're okay" Roxas said looking at me. He was so kind. It was weird knowing that Sora was out there at the same time that Roxas was around. I didn't want to have to choose between them.

When it came down to it, I wasn't sure what I should do. I knew that Xemnas was using my powers for his own ends, but somehow the gravity of the situation didn't seem to sink in. When I was with my friends, it was like nothing was wrong. Even when I had been on missions with Zexion or Demyx, it didn't feel like I was being forced to do anything. Everyone had been so kind to me, and I had grown so much since coming here. It was strange.

* * *

Some of the Organization members had gathered in the circle room, and were having a meeting on their thrones.

"Axel," Saïx began. "What did you find out?".

"If something did happen, she's not saying" Axel replied. "She sticking to her story".

"Perhaps what she's saying is the truth" Zexion chimed in. "It wouldn't be the first time she's lost consciousness going through a portal".

Demyx was sitting on his throne, listening to the conversation, but not saying anything. He'd rather be anywhere but here, but his presence had been requested at the meeting, as he was part of the group that went after her.

"Demyx, have you anything to add?" Saïx said, looking at Demyx. Demyx looked in Saïx' direction, but then quickly darted his eyesight elsewhere before responding.

"No, sir" he said. "Nothing to report".

* * *

Please let me know what you think in a review!


	12. Chapter 11 - A Mission with Lexaeus

Here's Chapter 11! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 11 – A Mission with Lexaeus**

 _I was in the in-between. Looking at my surroundings, I didn't notice anyone at first. It was quiet, too quiet. Then I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see where they were coming from, and immediately tensed up at the sight of Ansem, standing a few meters away from me. His usual grin appeared at the sight of my fear._

 _"Welcome back, Megan" he said sinisterly. I took a step back, holding my arms out to my sides defensibly._

 _"H-how can you be here?!" I said with a mix of shock and fear. Ansem merely grinned._ The coat is supposed to prevent the darkness from coming out! _I thought. I hadn't seen Ansem since putting it on… What the heck was going on?!_

 _Ansem began to walk toward me, but all I could do was back up in fear. My confidence was gone. The thought to summon the Keyblade didn't even cross my mind. I was in complete shock at his sudden appearance. I never thought I'd see him again, and was completely unprepared._

 _A third figure appeared through a portal. They wore an Organization coat with the hood up, and immediately threw a blast of darkness from their hand at Ansem before he had a chance to react._ Riku? _I thought. Ansem was pushed back by the force of the impact. His expression changed to one of annoyance._

 _"You!" he said with anger in his voice. The hooded figure prepared to send another blast at Ansem as I watched the two of them from a short distance away._

I woke up with a start in my castle room. _A dream?_ I thought. It had felt so real. I went to sit up in bed, but my muscles weren't having it. I managed to swing my legs over the side of the bed nearest the window, and sit up. My entire body was tense like it had been in the dream. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and walked over to window.

I hadn't looked out at The World That Never Was in some time. Glancing down at the dark streets below, I remembered the end of Kingdom Hearts 2. When Sora and company fought their way through, and activated a ramp to the front door of the castle. Who knew if things were still going to happen that way?

I wondered where Sora was in his journey. The Organization would never send me on a mission where I would encounter him, of that much I was sure. I wondered if he had encountered Demyx at Olympus Coliseum yet? Or Xaldin at Beasts' Castle?

I took another deep breath. My muscled had relaxed, and I was able to move about without them protesting. _I'd better head to the common area_ I thought. If I didn't show up soon, no doubt Saïx would send someone looking for me. Taking one last look at the dark world below, I headed for the common area.

Arriving through the alcove, I saw Saïx standing in his usual spot by the window at the back of the room. His emotionless amber eyes met mine and held them. I walked toward him, knowing that meant I was to come over. Approaching where he stood, I noticed Lexaeus standing a short distance away before making eye contact with Saïx.

"Megan, today you will on-mission with Lexaeus" he said.

"Yes, sir" I said quietly. I looked in Lexaeus' direction. He looked stoic standing there with his arms folded. I didn't know much about him. In the games, he had only shown up briefly in Riku's story in Chain of Memories. He always struck me as a brute force kind of guy. His attacks seemed to be pure power in the games.

I walked over to him. Without a word, he turned and opened a portal, motioning for me to go through first. I complied, and a short while later we arrived at our destination. Looking around, everything was dark and had various Halloween decorations on them. It was Halloween Town. The portal closed as Lexaeus arrived behind me.

"You know your job?" he stated more than asked.

"Yes, take out all Heartless and Nobodies" I replied for what felt like the millionth time. Lexaeus nodded.

"Good" he said. And without another word, we headed down the path. Not many Heartless appeared, which I was thankful for. The sheer amount of Heartless I had taken out at Hollow Bastion the previous day must've been enough to account for a few worlds!

We came to a clearing, and ducked behind some low hills. I could see Shock, Lock, and Barrel standing in the clearing in a circle. No doubt they were putting together some kind of mischievous plan; they always seemed to be up to no good.

They walked away, giggling at whatever they had just come up with. We stood up, but before I could walk forward, Lexaeus stretched his arm out in front of me. He made eye contact with me, and I understood that that meant I was to stay put. I crouched back down as he walked around to the clearing where the kids had just been. What was he up to?

I stayed crouched down, but popped my head just above the hill to get a clear view. I was too late though. By the time I was able to see above the hill, he was already on his way back. He saw me looking at him, but said nothing. His expression remained the same as it had been back at the castle.

Arriving back behind the hill, he opened a portal and motioned for me to go through. Guess the mission was over. He wasn't much of a talker, but I wouldn't want to get on his bad side. I'd seen how much power he had in Riku's storyline in Chain of Memories. I obeyed, walking through the portal.

Once we arrived back in the common room, Lexaeus walked off without a word. I was left to my own devices once again. Looking around, I spotted Roxas waiting off to one side. I walked over to him, happy to see a friendly face.

"Hey Roxas!" I said happily. His bright blue eyes met mine.

"Megan! Done your mission for today?" he asked.

"Yup!" I replied.

"Ready for ice cream?". Like he had to ask. I nodded, and we headed through a portal to Twilight Town. After getting ice cream, we headed up to the clock tower to a waiting Axel. He turned to look at us as we came around the ledge, his usual façade on.

"Hey guys" he said calmly. Roxas and I sat down to his right, and began to bite into our ice creams, Axel doing the same. After a few moments, he broke the silence.

"So, how did everyone's missions go today?" he asked. "Anything exciting happen?".

"I got to take out some large Heartless" said Roxas. "Does that count?". Axel laughed a bit, saying "sure", and then they both looked at me.

"How about you, Megan?" asked Roxas. I looked at the both of them, and put my hand under my chin in a thinking posture.

"Mine was… a bit different" I began. Axel and Roxas looked at me with interest. "I was sent on a mission with Lexaeus today. He's definitely a different character". Axel's expression changed from curiosity to listening intently. "He's a lot different than you guys".

"He would be" Axel said. "As long as I've known the guy, he's never been much of a talker. Nothing like us!" he said, looking at myself and Roxas with pride. Roxas and I smiled. It was nice hanging out in our little trio like this. I took another bite out of my ice cream.

"Hey Axel, you never told us how your day went!" said Roxas upbeat. I looked at Axel, curious about his answer. He looked at both of us, and then scratched his head for a moment before responding.

"Mine wasn't anything special…" he finally said nonchalantly. "Just business as usual". We all looked out at the sunset.

"This is the most beautiful view…" I said mostly to myself, but Axel and Roxas must've heard me as I heard them both agree.

* * *

Please let me know what you think in a review!


	13. Chapter 12 - A Day Off

Here's Chapter 12! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 12 – A Day Off**

The previous day had been interesting, to say the least. So far, I had been on missions with Axel, Demyx, Zexion, and now Lexaeus. Lexaeus had definitely been different than the others I had met so far. I laid in bed in my castle room taking all of it in.

Since being brought here, I had had darkness invade my body, Ansem terrorize me, materialize a Keyblade, receive an Organization coat that I now wore full time, and was now going on missions with different members of the Organization. It felt like a lifetime had passed. As Axel had said to me before, I had basically become an honorary member of the Organization. No number, and no 'X' in my name, but I was essentially fulfilling at least part of the role that the others were.

What was Xemnas's plan for me? Since gaining the power of the Keyblade, they had trained me how to fight, and even to use magic. Why teach a captive how to fight? They probably figured that if I tried to use it against them, I'd be no match for them. And they'd be right. By teaching me to use my powers, they could use me to complete missions.

Something still tugged at me though. They wouldn't be doing all this just to have me complete missions for them. That was something I had to keep in mind. I had become so integrated that it was getting harder and harder each day for me to remain aware that the Organization weren't the good guys. Sure, there seemed to be some nice people in it, but they took orders from Xemnas and Saïx.

My head began to hurt trying to figure it all out. I decided that was enough for now, and to leave it at that. I got up from the bed, headed for the door, and made my way to the common room. Arriving through the alcove, I was surprised to see that Saïx wasn't there. I paused for a moment, looking around the room. I spotted Axel and Roxas at their usual couches in the back-left of the room.

Walking down the centre, I noticed Luxord and a few others sitting at couches here and there. I headed to sit with my friends.

"Good morning Megan" said Axel cheerfully as I sat down opposite both of them. He was never this cheerful in the morning, only after a mission. They both seemed to be in high spirits.

"Uh… morning Axel" I said half smiling, trying to figure out why they were both acting differently. "What's going on today? No mission?" I asked.

"Nope" said Roxas. "Today's our day off! Yours too!" he said happily. I looked at him with confusion.

"I get a day off?" I said incredulously.

"No one can do missions if they're completely exhausted" said Axel. I looked at him, still in disbelief. "C'mon, we may not have hearts, but we're not completely without heart, if you know what I mean". I laughed.

"That's good" I said. "So then… what's the plan for today?".

"We got permission from Saïx to take you outside the castle" said Roxas. I looked at him curiously.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my eyes growing wide. Excitement was building in me. I was going to get to explore somewhere in the Kingdom Hearts universe!

"We were thinking Destiny Islands" Axel said. "There's this spot with a palm trying bent sideways that you can sit on and look out at the water from". I was having trouble containing myself at hearing that. I knew exactly where it was. It was the spot where Sora, Riku and Kairi hung out. I was so excited that we were going to go there!

"Sounds beautiful!" I said, trying to contain my excitement. Axel looked at Roxas, who nodded. He then looked back at me.

"Well, you wanna go now? We're ready whenever you are" he said.

"Sure!" I said smiling. With that, we all stood up. Axel opened a portal at the back of the room, and we walked through.

Coming out on the beach, I turned and looked out at the bright sun over the water. I was in awe. It was beautiful. The sunlight was glistening over the water, the waves lapping gently across the shore. They stopped a few feet in front of me.

"Hey, Megan!" I heard Roxas call from a short distance away. "You coming?". I turned to face his direction, tearing my eyes away from the water. Him and Axel were already up on the second level of the beach, heading for the palm tree. Roxas waved his arm to indicate I join them. I jogged toward where they were standing to catch up.

Walking across the bridge, we came to the palm tree I had seen so many times in the Kingdom Hearts games. I looked at Roxas, who nodded, before running up to it and climbing up to sit. Roxas came up and sat beside me; Axel coming to his left and leaning against the bottom of the tree.

At first, we just sat there and stared out at the water. It was like a dream come true for me. The wind rushed by, gently rustling our hair. I stared out across the blue water.

"It's so beautiful…" I said. I saw Roxas and Axel turn their heads in my direction out of the corner of my eye.

"We try to come here whenever we can" Roxas said looking back out at the water. "It really is a nice view. One of the best we've found, aside from the clock tower in Twilight Town of course!". I smiled. Of course. Twilight Town would always be their favourite. For me, I couldn't decide which one now that I had seen Destiny Islands. I wished this moment could last forever.

"Roxas, how long have you been in the Organization?" I asked.

"I stopped counting after the year mark" he said. "It's been a long time. Why?".

"Just curious" I said.

"Axel here's been in for even longer. He's a fossil!" Roxas teased. At hearing that, Axel turned and gave Roxas a shove on the shoulder.

"Hey! I'm not that old!" he said, mocking taking offence. We all laughed. I paused for a moment, and looked down before looking at them once again to ask my next question.

"Guys… we're friends, right?" I asked.

"Where did that come from?" said Roxas. "Of course we are".

"Then… can you tell me why I'm here? Am I just going to keep going on missions every day? Just doing whatever Saïx tells me? Surely you didn't need to take someone from another universe for that…". Roxas looked down, avoiding eye contact. Axel's face became serious.

"You know we can't tell you that" Axel said quietly. I sighed, looking down. "To be honest, I don't actually know. Orders came from the top to capture you. From the Superior himself". I looked at Axel, who looked down, but I could see him looking at me through the corner of his eye.

"Thank you, Axel" I said. He turned his head to look at me. "Thank you, both of you, for being so nice to me. I'm glad we're friends. I don't know how I could've gotten through the last month without the two of you". They were both looking at me now. "Roxas, I heard I have you to thank for me being put into a room instead of a cell, even though you didn't know me. So thank you for that as well". Roxas looked out at the water once again.

"I… just thought it would be nicer for you. You seemed like a nice person when we met, and you still are" he said calmly. I blushed. Roxas wasn't the same boy as he was during 358/2 Days; he had matured a bit since being in the Organization past the end of the game's timeline.

"So… it's back to missions tomorrow, huh?" I asked, trying to move the conversation in a different direction.

"Yep, they never end" said Axel a little more upbeat. He was looking out at the water along with myself and Roxas. "Suppose we'll just have to keep going until we complete Kingdom Hearts!".

"Yeah!" said Roxas determinedly.

* * *

Some members of the Organization had gathered in the circle room on their thrones. Xemnas addressed the group from the highest throne.

"Megan has had darkness within her for some time now, however her dark powers have yet to awaken" he said calmly.

"She has learned how to fight, but as yet has only utilized her powers of light" said Saïx. "Perhaps she needs some encouragement".

"She's a good little girl" said Xigbar. "Won't be easy getting her to go in that direction".

"I agree" said Luxord. "She is solidly a being of light. I've sensed no darkness within her other than that which invaded her body". A few others in the room nodded in agreement.

"Well then, we will need to strongly encourage her to tap into that part of herself" said Saïx smiling cruelly. "Larxene, you will bring out her dark powers by any means possible. Try not to harm her too much".

"You got it" Larxene said with a satisfied smirk.

* * *

Please let me know what you think in a review!


	14. Chapter 13 - The Power of Darkness

Wew! Here's Chapter 13! That's all the chapters I've written so far. I'll be starting on chapter 14 soon. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 13 – The Power of Darkness**

Another day. Another day waking up in the castle to a white room. The previous day had been blissful. I had gotten to hang out with Axel and Roxas in Destiny Islands. We had talked about nothing, well almost nothing. Most of the conversation was just nonsense chatter among friends.

I had finally thanked Roxas for the room I had, and broached the question of why they had brought me here. That was nerve-wracking for me, but I could tell Axel's response was honest. I was glad that I was able to ask them about it and still remain friends. He may have been the one that had essentially captured me, but a lot had happened since then. Things had changed so much for both me and them. I wasn't the same person anymore, and we had become friends.

I swung my feet over the side of the bed nearest the door, sitting up and wondering what the day would bring. It was back to missions now. I wondered where I would be sent today? And who with? With that thought, I headed for the door, and made my way to the common area.

On arrival, I wasn't surprised to see Saïx standing in his usual position at the back of the room. I made my way over, looking to see who was around. There were fewer members in the room than usual, but it seemed to vary by the day. Arriving in front of Saïx, I made eye contact, and awaited my mission for the day.

"Megan, today you will be going on a mission with Larxene" he said. Another new member. The lone female in the Organization too, and one with a temper if I recalled correctly from Chain of Memories.

"Hello Megan" came Larxene's voice from behind me. I jumped, turning around to face her. Her voice sounded unfriendly, almost icy. "You ready to go, or what?" she said harshly. I guess I got the cruel side of her. I paused for a moment, and then nodded. She opened a portal, and beckoned for me to go through first. I complied, and she followed right after me.

We arrived at the start of a long bridge with a gate separating it from the other half in the middle. It led to a large castle. Everything was dark and gloomy on either side of the bridge. It was Beasts' Castle.

"Well, go on" said Larxene sternly. Considering she was the lone female in the Organization, and was paired with another woman for a change, you'd think we'd have hit it off better. But that didn't seem to be the case. I crossed the threshold, and began to traverse the bridge. A group of Heartless appeared in front of me. There were five in all, and they began to advance. I summoned my Keyblade, and went at the first one, taking it out in a few slashes.

I turned and took out two others with a single slash, and then pivoted casting fire to take out the final two. Standing up straight, I took a breath. This was no problem. The mission would be over before I knew it. Or so I thought.

I heard Larxene begin clapping behind me. I turned around to see a cruel grin on her face just as she stopped.

"Think you're all that, don't you?" she said tauntingly. I looked at her, still holding my Keyblade, puzzled. "You don't actually think Axel and Roxas are your friends, do you? That would require a heart, and they don't have any". She laughed. I looked at her sternly.

"They may not have hearts, but they do have heart" I said seriously, my face changing to one of defiance. What she had said had made me agitated. What reason did she have to talk down to me like that? Was she just doing it for her own amusement?

Larxene smirked, summoning her knives. I took a step back, subconsciously taking a defensive position with the Keyblade at my side. What was she doing? There wasn't any more time to think about it.

Without warning, Larxene threw a hand of knives at me. I blocked them with my Keyblade just in time. They deflected off, but not before sending me falling over backwards from the force of the blow. Getting up, I shot a blast of fire at her from the tip of my Keyblade. She simply swiped it away as if it was nothing.

"Pa-lease. You think your weak attacks would be a match for me? How pathetic. You actually think you can take me on?". That made me angry. I ran at her, bringing my Keyblade up to attack. She parried my slash with her knives, and pushed me back a few feet. It took all my strength to keep myself from falling over again.

Just as I recovered, she sent another wave of knives at me. I raised my Keyblade in front of me to defend again, but this time the force of the blow was too much. The Keyblade was knocked from my hand, and clattered to the ground a few feet away. I tried to summon it back, but it wouldn't come. Before I knew it, Larxene was rushing toward me, more knives in hand. I jumped to the side to dodge her attack, only just narrowly escaping her blades.

"What are you gonna do? You've got no Keyblade to fight with. No one's going to save you" Larxene taunted as she walked toward me. I was shaking with adrenaline. My agitation turned to anger. I put on the most threatening face I could. I'm not normally an angry person, but she was pushing my buttons.

The anger welled up inside me, and I felt a different power emerge from within. Without thinking, I thrust my hand out, shooting off a burst of darkness at her. She raised her arms in a cross formation to defend herself, but even with that, the force of the blow sent her sliding back. When she lowered her arms, I expected to see rage on her face, but instead she had a look of satisfaction. She dismissed her knives, and started clapping again.

"Well done!" she said approvingly. I relaxed my posture, standing up straight.

"W-what?" I said, breathing heavily and confused. I was sweating all over.

"Congratulations. You've just taken you first step in using the power of darkness" she said. I looked at her incredulously, and then at my hand. _What?_ I thought. _No, this can't be happening. I can't have used the power of darkness. Didn't you have to give in to the darkness first for that to happen?_

"How is this possible…?" I muttered, standing up straight and relaxing a bit.

"All thanks to that little ball of darkness within you" she responded. "Better get used to it. It's a part of you now that you've used its' power". My eyes grew wide. I was going to be like this _forever_ now? I couldn't believe I had used the power of darkness…! How could I have let this happen?! Larxene read my thoughts from the horrified expression on my face.

"Don't sweat over it too much" she said nonchalantly. "We use it all the time. It's not all that bad". I looked at her, shock clearly showing on my face. _'Not all that bad'?_ I thought. Like that would make me feel better. She continued, "Anyways, mission accomplished. Let's return to the castle".

THAT was the mission? Getting me to use the power of darkness? I couldn't believe I had fallen for it. They had brought out yet another one of my powers. DiZ was right; they were trying to use my powers for their own ends. I sighed heavily in frustration.

Larxene opened a portal, and we emerged back in the common area. After we arrived, she turned and gave me a taunting smirk before walking off. I stared at my hand. What did this mean? If I had used the power of darkness, did that mean that Ansem would reappear?

I scoured the room for Zexion. He would know the answer to my question. I didn't see him, so I figured I'd check if he was in his study. I knocked on the door I had remembered us coming out of after he had given me the coat. As luck would have it, he answered!

"Megan?" he said. "This is a surprise. Come in". I walked in, and turned around to face him. "What can I help you with?".

"You said the coat will help keep the darkness within me at bay, right?" I asked.

"Yes, it should. Did something happen? Did Ansem return?" Zexion asked.

"No, not exactly" I said. I looked down at the ground for a moment before continuing. "I used the power of darkness today. Larxene made me really angry, and before I knew it, I had shot off a blast of darkness from the palm of my hand…". Zexion's face only changed to surprise for a split second before returning to his usual expression. He placed his hand under his chin, thinking, and then walked over to his desk, scanning some pieces of paper laying there before responding.

"The coat will allow you to control the darkness within you" he began. "It will stop it from coming out on its own, but that's the extent of it. It won't block you from using it yourself". He paused for a moment. "You say this happened when you were angry?"

"Yes…" I replied quietly. I wasn't proud of it. Zexion thought for a moment.

"That makes sense" he finally said. "Strong dark emotion such as anger or fear is what brings out the darkness in everyone. You have the power of darkness within you thanks to that ball that resides in your chest, so it makes sense that strong emotion in you would come out in this way". I took a moment to absorb everything he had said.

"So… there's no risk of Ansem making a reappearance when this happens?" I asked.

"No, there shouldn't be" Zexion responded. He paused before continuing. "But be wary. The darkness is a powerful force. As a being of light, you're more susceptible to its' influence. If you're not careful, it will change you". _Yeah,_ I thought. _That much I know from Riku's experience._

* * *

I'll be starting on chapter 14 soon! Please let me know what you think of the story so far in a review! :)


	15. Chapter 14 - A Chance Encounter

Yay! Chapter 14's done! I had a flurry of ideas today! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 14 – A Chance Encounter**

It had been a few days since my experience using the power of darkness. I had been making sure I kept my emotions under control on missions since then. No one else had tried to push me to use it like Larxene had, but I knew, once used, it would become more and more addictive. Zexion had warned me about it as well.

I sighed. The missions of the last few days had been the same deal as usual. Just heart collection. I wasn't complaining; it was easy, but it was starting to get a bit repetitive.

Exiting my castle room, I headed for the common area. I walked up to Saïx on arrival.

"What's the mission today?" I asked. I had become so used to it, it was like second nature. What was the point of trying to run away when there was a tracking chip in my back, and a castle full of Organization members that would come after me if I stepped out of line?

"Today you will be on-mission with Marluxia" Saïx said. I raised my eyebrow at that one. Leader of Castle Oblivion, with an obsession over flowers.

"Good morning Megan" I heard Marluxia say, walking up behind me. At least he was polite. I turned around to face him. He studied my face for a moment, his expression not cruel, but also not kind. I guess it was more like a neutral face. "Are you ready to go?" he said. I nodded.

He turned and opened a portal. I walked through first as always, and he followed behind. Arriving on the other side, I immediately started sweating and squinted my eyes at the bright sun in the sky. We had arrived in what looked like a bazaar of sorts. There were stalls lining the street, with sand covering everything. No one was around, and the wind was gently rustling through. It was Agrabah.

The Organization members I was paired with now had stopped asking me if I knew my mission. Guess they figured I knew it by now. Marluxia turned to the left, and I moved to walk beside him. We walked up the street, heading toward what looked like a large main area of the town.

I took out a small group of heartless on the way there, before arriving in the main courtyard area. I don't know if it would've been called a courtyard, but it was large with a central fountain, and had a sandy ground. There were dusty buildings all around. No one was around, which I thought was strange right off the bat. Where was everyone?

I didn't have to ponder it long though. Shortly after we arrived in the courtyard, a giant Heartless appeared behind the fountain. It had a mix of yellow and black swirls all over its' body, and looked almost like an oversized jaguar without the ears. I had never seen this Heartless before, not even in the games. Not that I could remember, there had been so many!

It advanced toward us, it's large foot crushing the fountain in the centre of the area, and began to hiss. I summoned my Keyblade, and saw Marluxia summon his scythe out of the corner of my eye. I looked at him and nodded, before heading over to the side of the Heartless to attack. While Marluxia attacked from the front, distracting it, I came in on the side and landed a long slash down its' leg. It screeched and turned toward my direction.

"Uh oh" I muttered. I jumped back a few paces to gauge its' attack. It was getting ready to pounce. Just as it raised its' feet to come down on me, I dashed underneath its' belly, reaching the other side behind it. Looking at Marluxia, I nodded quickly. Before it could react, we both jumped and landed blows on both sides of its' body.

That had done it. It fell to the ground, disappearing and leaving a large heart which floated up into the sky. Flower petals floated around the area from the attacks Marluxia had used. Some floated past me before a slight wind sent them up into the air. I looked up at them as they blew out of view, still holding my Keyblade. Marluxia walked over to me.

"What they say about you is true. Your power had indeed grown. Why do you shun the darkness?" he asked.

"Because I don't believe darkness is the way to go. It can lead you down a bad path" I said. With that, I dismissed my Keyblade. Marluxia's expression didn't change, but I could tell he was slightly disappointed in my answer.

"Let's continue on" he said. We walked down one of the streets leading off from the main courtyard. There was no one around there either. Had that giant Heartless scared them all off? Where was everyone in this place?

A group of Heartless appeared about halfway down the street. I summoned my Keyblade to take them out. Running at the left side of the group, I slashed left and then right to take out the two there, and turned around to face the others. There were three left. I slashed again, taking out two more, but before I could get to the last one, it floated off around the corner.

"I've got it!" I yelled to Marluxia as I rounded the corner, running after it. Just as I came around the bend, I narrowly missed a red bird that looked strangely like Iago.

"Watch where you're going!" the bird yelled, as I looked back at it. It _was_ Iago. I turned back in the other direction, taking a few more steps before realizing that the floating Heartless was nowhere to be seen. I came to a stop, looking around. _Oh well_ I thought. _Guess it'll show up again at some point._

Just then, three figures appeared around a corner a short distance in front of me.

"Where did that bird go?" I heard a quacky voice say.

"I don't know, do you see him Goofy?" said the person in the middle.

"G'warsh, I dunno…" said the one on the right.

I looked at them, holding my Keyblade to my side, dumbfounded.

"Sora?" I said incredulously. He looked at me, and then at my coat.

"You're with the Organization!" he said challengingly. "What are you doing here?". I looked at my coat, and then back up at him.

"No, no, you don't understand! I'm not with the Organization!" I said, waving my arms in front of me. I paused for a moment. "I'm their prisoner" I finally said. He looked at me sideways, puzzled. "It's a long story" I said. His eyes fell down on my Keyblade, and was about to say something when instead his attention was drawn past me.

A few moments later, I heard footsteps come up behind me, and then hands appear on my shoulders, holding me firm. I tensed slightly, surprised. Looking up, I saw it was Marluxia standing behind me, towering over my 5'3 height; he was looking at Sora, an evil grin crossing his face.

"Hello Sora" he said mesmerizingly. I looked back at Sora, my eyes growing wide. I was trying to mentally tell him to save me. Sora looked at Marluxia, his expression changing to one of recognition, and then confusion.

"You seem familiar… but I can't remember for some reason…" he said, scratching the back of his head. Marluxia smirked.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" he teased. "The mind can be so unreliable sometimes". I opened my mouth, and took a breath to speak, but Marluxia quickly covered it with one of his gloved hands " _You_ weren't supposed to see him" he said sternly from behind me. My eyes bulged, as I struggled to remove his hand from my mouth.

"Let her go!" I heard Sora yell as I struggled. He had summoned his Keyblade, and was in a fighting stance.

"That will not be possible" said Marluxia. "She is important to the Organization". He reached out his free hand, and opened a portal in the side of the wall to the left. Then, releasing his hand from my mouth, he pushed me in the small of the back into it. I stumbled into it, half falling over from the suddenness of him releasing me.

Stumbling out of the portal into the common area of the castle, I quickly turned around, trying to get back through it before it closed.

"Sora!" I yelled. But I was too late. The portal closed just as I approached it. I came to a halt as it disappeared around me, bending over and putting my hands on my knees while breathing heavily. "Sora…". I had been so close; so close to freedom. He was right there!

I wondered what Marluxia was doing with him now. That was something I had no clue about. They had never met outside Castle Oblivion in the games. Certainly not in the Kingdom Hearts 2 storyline. Marluxia had faded by then in the game storyline.

There was nothing I could do. I couldn't make portals, so I couldn't get back there. I hung my head in disappointment, sighing. Some fighter I was. All these powers I had, and yet I didn't have the one I needed when the time came.

Saïx was looking at me from the other side of the room. His gaze almost looked surprised for a second, but that was as long as it lasted. I didn't care what he saw. I was sure that Marluxia would file everything in a report later anyway.

* * *

I already have ideas written down for the next chapter! Look forward to that soon! Please let me know what you think in a review!


	16. Chapter 15 - Mixed Emotions

Hi again everyone! Thank you to those who have reviewed, and everyone who reads my story. I hope you're all enjoying it so far!

* * *

 **Chapter 15 – Mixed Emotions**

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" I yelled in my castle room, pounding my fists on the bed. I didn't curse very much, but this was an extenuating circumstance. The events of the previous day were playing over and over in my mind. Sora, Donald and Goofy had been right in front of me. I had been _this_ close to freedom from the Organization. How had I let Marluxia sneak up on me like that?

I supposed it _was_ their job on a mission to make sure I didn't escape. I couldn't believe how easily I had been held captive. All of the Organization members, save Roxas, towered over me in height, and it would seem, strength as well. Marluxia's grip on me had been so strong that I hadn't been able to get out of it.

I huffed, getting up from the bed before heading for the door. I continued to mentally smack myself as I walked to the common area. Arriving through the alcove, I took a deep breath, and tried to remain calm. No use beating myself up over something I couldn't change. It would still bother me for a while though.

Walking up to Saïx, I awaited my mission for the day. I still must've looked more agitated than usual, as he gave me a brief look before glancing at his clipboard, and stating my mission.

"Megan, today you will be going on a mission with Xaldin" he said in the same monotone voice he always did. Uh oh. Xaldin. He had to be the most evil member in the Organization next to Xemnas and Saïx. He had held Belle captive at Beasts' Castle in Kingdom Hearts 2. He was particularly cruel compared to the other members if I recalled correctly.

"Hello there Megan" came Xaldin's voice. Why did they always walk up behind me now? I turned around to face him. He had a cruel smile on his face. "I see the events of yesterday still bother you". I turned my face away in a scoff at hearing that. He simply laughed a little. "Come, let us begin the mission".

I turned my head back around, and without looking at him, walked through the portal he had created. We arrived on the bridge at Beasts' Castle. Of course. That was the world he had occupied in the game, so it made sense that that was where the mission would be. It was as gloomy as it had been when Larxene had brought me there. I turned around to look at Xaldin.

"Heart collection again?" I asked.

"Actually, I had a rather different idea in mind…" he said casually, his expression changing to an evil grin. He took a few steps back, and summoned his lances all around him. I stepped back with one foot, my arms automatically coming up from my sides defensively. "Fight me".

"What?!" I said, shocked. I didn't have any more time to think about it. A few seconds later, he sent one of his lances straight at me. I threw myself to the right, dodging the attack, and landing on the stone ground of the bridge. His lance collided with the wall, and stuck there. He summoned it back, and refocused his attention on me.

I looked at him with a determined, slightly annoyed face, and reluctantly summoned my Keyblade. _He has to do this_ now _?_ I thought. It had to be the worst timing. I got up from the ground, and ran at Xaldin with my Keyblade. Before I could even get close however, I was sent flying backward by a strong gust of wind, landing back on the ground. I rubbed the bruise that was likely to appear, before getting back up.

Right. That was his element. The 'Whirlwind Lancer' they called him. I had to find another way to attack. Standing back, I aimed my Keyblade and yelled "Fire!". A burst of flame shot from the end of it and went straight at him. But it didn't have the desired effect.

Instead of connecting with their target, the flames instead began to swirl around in circles. Within a few seconds, what looked like a fire tornado had appeared. Mixed with grey, white, and orange streaks, the twister got larger and larger, and then began to advance in my direction. _Uh oh,_ I thought. _This is not good._

I turned and ran in the opposite direction of it, heading toward the gatehouse in the middle of the bridge. That would provide some cover, and hopefully stop it in its tracks. The twister was gaining on me. Almost there…

I reached the entrance, and quickly ducked behind one of the partial walls. It was a stone, square-shaped structure that rose maybe ten feet in the air. The area I was in was walled on all sides, except for an arch on either side that went to each side of the bridge. There was also a ceiling made out of stone above me. I had ducked behind the partial wall directly beside the arch I'd entered.

I watched as the twister approached, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. My hopes were answered when it collapsed on itself just before reaching the building. I took a breath of relief, before peering around the corner again to see where Xaldin was. He wasn't far behind where the twister had been. Walking toward the gatehouse, his cruel smirk was evident on his face as he spotted me staring at him.

I pulled back behind the wall, moving along the side toward the center of the building, still out of sight. I waited, ready to strike with my Keyblade. Xaldin entered a few moments later, but before I could even move my arm, his lances struck, and pinned me to the wall. I couldn't move. He stood a few feet away, looking at me with satisfaction.

I struggled against the weapons pinning my coat around the arms and shoulders. It was no use; I couldn't even move my arm to use the Keyblade. Looking him in the eye, I made the most defiant face I could. I was getting angry. I was already agitated about the previous days' events, and this was just making it worse. I wasn't in the mood.

"Hahhhhhh!" I yelled out, feeling darkness well up inside me. My body began to glow green and purple with power. The lances holding me were engulfed in the same colours, and slowly floated away, falling to the ground. Once I was free, I dashed out of the gatehouse on the opposite side that I had come in. Turning around once I was a short distance away, I saw that Xaldin was standing just outside of the arch, waiting to see what I would do next.

I was still fuming, the darkness fully enveloping my body. I stepped one foot back, and then thrust a large burst of darkness with both my hands as I lunged forward. It went straight at Xaldin, but before it could make contact, one of his lances slashed it into nothingness with a gust of wind. Before I had even registered this, he waved his hand horizontally, and a gust of wind knocked me to the ground, landing on my back. I propped myself up on my forearms, recovering from the blow. The next thing I knew, one of his lances was at my throat.

I looked at him menacingly. He merely grinned, seemingly amused by my anger.

"That will be enough for today" he said condescendingly.

"What?" I said, looking at him, my face changing to complete surprise. A wave of realization of what had just happened washed over me as I calmed down, the darkness within me subsiding.

"Your dark powers are indeed strong. Do not fear that which you do not understand" he said. I simply looked at him, not sure what to say to that. I had always seen the darkness as a bad thing. But the way the Organization members talked about it, it seemed there was more to it than that. Looking down at the ground, I had mixed emotions.

The lance at my neck disappeared. Looking up at Xaldin, he summoned a portal.

"Let us return to the castle" he said. I got up from the ground, and entered the portal.

* * *

Please review to let me know what you think! I'm always looking for new ideas, and really appreciate hearing from you guys!


	17. Chap 16 - Taking Control of the Darkness

Hi everyone! Here's chapter 16!

To guest reviewer BewilderingHeart:

Thanks so much for your review and ideas! I actually already had one of them in the plans! Look forward to that soon! :)

Now, on to the chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – Taking Control of the Darkness**

Xaldin's words echoed in my head. _'Do not fear that which you do not understand'_. All of the Organization members seemed to have the same attitude toward the darkness. They treated it no differently than any of their other powers. In the games, there was always an underlying theme of the darkness being this unknown force for evil. But was it? At the end of Kingdom Hearts 2, King Mickey had even said that they don't hate it, they just don't understand it.

I laid in bed, pondering for a moment. I had darkness within me, that was a fact. I had used it when my emotions became especially strong. That didn't always seem to be the case with others though. Throughout the games, I had seen characters use the power of darkness while relatively calm. Did that mean that I could control it that way too? I decided to leave it at that for the moment, and headed for the common room.

Arriving a little while later, I found Saïx in his usual spot by the window. I walked up to him, wondering who I would be with today.

"Megan, today you will be on-mission with Axel" Saïx said. A hand then touched my shoulder from behind, causing me to jump violently.

"Woah, relax Megan. It's just me!" said Axel defensively as I turned around.

"Sorry" I said quietly. "I guess I'm a little jumpy today". Axel looked at me, scratching his head for a second.

"So… you ready to go?" he asked. I nodded, smiling. I was happy to be going on a mission with a friend again. He opened a portal, and we headed out.

Arriving on a snowy mountain, there was nothing but pure white for miles. We were at a high altitude. Off in the distance, I could see a walled city. It was The Land of Dragons.

A few seconds after I exited the portal, a cold wind swept past, causing me to shiver.

"Brrr…" I said as we looked around. I wrapped my arms around me. The coat was warm, but not quite warm enough.

"Let's get moving. We'll warm up faster that way" said Axel. We walked across the side of the mountain. It was an endless expanse of nothing but snow. We didn't have to look hard for Heartless; their black figures were a stark contrast to the land of white around them.

Summoning my Keyblade, I ran at the first of a group we came across, taking it out in a single slash. I took out four others as I wheeled around a couple times, slashing them all horizontally. Axel walked by, giving me a high five and saying "Nice one!". I grinned, and we continued on.

We started making our way up the mountain. The further we climbed, the colder it got; What little warmth I had gained from battles was quickly dissipating. I was starting to shiver again.

"Hey Axel… think you could use some of the flames from your chakrams to warm us up?" I asked. He looked back at me.

"Huh? Are you cold again already?" he asked. I nodded. He looked at me pitifully, scratching his head and sighing. "The sooner we get this mission done, the sooner we can return to a warmer climate, 'kay? I can't light any fire here or it'll melt the snow. And that would cause even bigger problems". I stood up straight at hearing that, trying to keep the cold away as best I could. I hadn't thought about it that way.

As we continued on, a few more groups of small Heartless appeared. I took them out with my Keyblade in a few strokes. They disappeared moments later, releasing hearts into the sky. As we continued, I looked around to see if there was anything else in this land of pure white. But there was nothing.

Coming up another hill on the mountain, there was a wall with an opening that was missing a gate. It extended far to the left and right of the mountain. As we approached it, a Large Body Heartless appeared just in front it along with some smaller Heartless. I slashed at the regular Heartless, taking them down with little effort. However, when I attacked the Large Body, my Keyblade simply bounced off and sent me stumbling backward.

"It's a Large Body!" yelled Axel through the wind. "You've gotta attack it from the rear!". Right. I had forgotten about that.

Just as I was about to head in its direction, a gust of wind rushed by that didn't let up. Getting behind it was now near impossible. I raised my arms in front of my face, trying to make headway, but wasn't having any luck; the wind was too strong. I closed my eyes, bracing myself against the bone-chilling wind. _There's no way I can fight in this!_ I thought.

Then it dawned on me. I could use the power of darkness to attack the Large Body from here head-on. I decided to give it a try. Holding one hand up to protect my face against the frigid wind, I thrust out the other.

"Haaah!" I yelled, bringing the dark power out from within me. A blast of darkness shot off from my palm straight at the Heartless. It connected; the Large Body fading and releasing a heart into the sky. It worked!

A few moments later, the wind died down. I turned around to face Axel, who was stones' throw away from me. His face had a look of surprise for a fraction of a second, before changing back to his usual façade. He remained quiet for the next few moments, seemingly contemplating something. It was then that I saw a flicker of black move out of the corner of my eye.

Turning to look in its' direction, I caught what looked like a bit of black cloth disappearing behind the opening in the wall. Was that… Riku?

"Hey! You ready to get outta here? I sure am!" I heard Axel yell through the snow from behind me. I turned back around to face him.

"Yeah! Sounds like a plan!" I yelled back. I traversed through the snow back over to him as he opened a portal. I entered it gratefully, glad to finally get out of the cold.

A few seconds later, we arrived to the warmth of Twilight Town. It was like night and day.

"So… you up for some ice cream? Or you still too cold?" he teased, punching me on the shoulder.

"Hey!" I said, punching him back. "I'm much warmer now! Of course I'll have some!". I laughed. I had missed going on missions with Axel. He always managed to make them fun. We bought ice cream at the regular place, and headed up to the clock tower. Roxas was already sitting there when we arrived.

"Hey guys!" he said cheerfully. "Megan! Haven't seen you in a while!". I sat down in my usual spot beside him, and took a bite of my ice cream.

"Yeah!" I said cheerfully, and then with more of a pout "My missions have been going a bit long lately…".

"Does it have to do with what happened on today's mission?" Axel asked. I looked at him, surprised. Roxas then looked at me with interest.

"What happened?" asked Roxas.

"I… used the power of darkness" I said. Roxas did a double-take.

"You… what?" he said, shocked. "How?".

"A few days ago, I had a mission with Larxene. The sole purpose of it seemed to be to make me angry and bring out my darkness. And then yesterday, I had one with Xaldin where he made me to fight him. I was no match with my Keyblade, and ended up having to call on even more of the darkness" I said seriously. I paused, looking down and then out at the sunset. "He said something after we'd finished that made me start to wonder".

"What was it?" Roxas asked. I looked at his blue eyes.

"He said I shouldn't fear the darkness within me" I replied, looking out across the town. I paused, and then looked at them. "You guys use the power of darkness every day. Like it's no different than any of your other abilities. At first, I was scared to use it. But after today, I seem to have control over it".

* * *

"Why wasn't I informed of this?!" Axel yelled at Saïx from his throne. "You're bringing out her darkness on missions now?!" He was fuming, his hand banging on the armrest.

"We did not include you because we knew this would be your reaction" Saïx said calmly. "You and Roxas have become far too close to the girl".

"If she uses the power of darkness too much, she'll fall into it herself! What are you gonna do then?!" Axel spat back.

"You react as though you care about what happens to her, Axel. We do not have hearts, and thus cannot feel such a thing" said Saïx. "If she is to fall into the darkness so easily, then she is of no use to us". Axel looked down, scoffing. Looking around the room, his eyes met Larxene's.

"What did you do to her?" he said icily.

"Oh, nothing much" Larxene began. "I just told her that your friendship was a farce, because friendship requires a heart, and you and Roxas don't have one". She laughed cruelly.

Axel was trying hard to contain his anger. He banged his fist on the armrest of his throne.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews make me happy!


	18. Chapter 17 - Embracing the Darkness

This story's gone well past 1000 views! Woot! I could never have imagined that it would become so popular so quickly! Thanks so much everyone!

Now onto the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 17 – Embracing the Darkness**

"She's using the power of darkness" said Riku.

"You are sure of this?" said DiZ.

"I saw it with my own eyes" Riku replied.

"This will complicate things" said DiZ.

* * *

 _Standing in the in-between, I looked around. Heartless symbols swirled around silently. It was eerily quiet, until a second figure appeared._

 _"Ansem!" I said, standing my ground. He walked toward me until he was only a few paces away._

 _"I see you've learned to harness your powers" Ansem said. "Tell me, are you ready to become one with the darkness now?"._

 _"Never. You don't scare me anymore. I've taken control of the darkness within me; there's no way that you or anyone else can drag me down into it anymore" I said confidently._

 _"Is that so?" said Ansem curiously. He began to walk toward me again. I didn't wait to see what he was going to do next. Stepping my foot back, I thrust both hands forward, sending a ball of darkness straight at him._

 _A look of surprise crossed his face as it hit him head on, sending him sliding back a few feet, and causing him to hold his chest where it had impacted. He looked up at me angrily at first, but then grinned confidently._

 _"This is not over" he said._

I woke up in my castle room. That hadn't been a dream; none of them had. They were too real. It must've been the darkness inside me trying to take control while I was asleep. I had to be wary of it; I had taken control of the darkness in my waking life, but it would never give up on trying to take me over.

A thought occurred to me; weren't portals a power of the darkness? If I could control it now, didn't that mean that I should be able to create portals of my own as well? I decided to give it a try. Sitting up in the bed, I reached out my hand and concentrated hard. But nothing happened. Guess that required more experience than what I had.

Sighing, I got up and headed for the door. As I entered the alcove of the common area, Saïx' eyes locked with mine. I walked over, seeing Luxord standing beside him. Was I going on a mission with him today?

"Megan, today you will be on-mission with Luxord" Saïx said. I was right. I looked at Luxord. He seemed preoccupied with his deck of cards at first, but then looked up at me.

"Megan, it has been a too long" he said calmly in his British accent.

"Yeah…" I said. I'd never been on a mission with him before. Our only interaction had been when he was assigned as my guard after the darkness entered my body. He had pulled me out of a darkness puddle.

"Learned how to control that darkness of yours yet? I hear you've had some promising missions in that regard" he taunted. Great. He had learned a thing or two about me, and had ammo with which to throw insults now. Should've known that was coming…

"I'm doing just fine, thanks" I said defiantly, giving him a look. He smirked before turning to open a portal. I entered it, and we came out to a world shrouded in night.

We were standing on a dock by the water. There was a ship docked to our right, and buildings on the land ahead. No one was around, only the moon casting a dull light on everything. We had arrived in Port Royal.

"Right. Off we go then" said Luxord. I walked forward first as we crossed the dock, moving toward the land. Shortly after we crossed the threshold onto it, a group of pirate Heartless appeared in front of me. They looked scarier than ones I had seen before, waving their swashbuckling swords around, but I knew I could handle them.

Summoning my Keyblade, I advanced, running toward the first one. I slashed at it, its' heart floating up into the sky with little effort. I then turned around to face a second one, this time aiming my Keyblade and yelling "Fire!". A ball of flame was released from it, going straight at the Heartless. Moments later it was engulfed, and released its' heart. I paused for a second to take a breath. Big mistake.

One of the Heartless slashed me with their sword from behind.

"Ahh!" I grunted, falling forward to one knee, using the Keyblade with the opposite arm to prop myself up. I grimaced, looking back at the attacker. There were still three Heartless walking around, one of them a few feet away from me. A golden glow enveloped my body, and I was immediately refreshed. Standing up, I turned around to look menacingly at them.

"You're gonna pay for that" I said darkly. Stepping my foot back, I thrust my non-Keyblade hand out, and sent a ball of darkness at the Heartless that had attacked me. It hit it head on, consuming all three that were remaining. Their captured hearts were released, and floated up into the sky.

Dismissing my Keyblade, I stood up straight. Phew. That battle was over.

"I see you have indeed learned to control the power of darkness" said Luxord from behind me. I turned to face him. "Well done" he said approvingly. I smirked with confidence. The power of darkness was handy. It complemented my other powers in battle.

As we continued down the land by the docks, it was eerily silent. I noticed Luxord seemed to be looking for something. Following his gaze, he was looking around the dark buildings before setting his sights on an ornate chest in the distance. At sighting this, we stopped, and a look of satisfaction crossed his face.

"It does exist" he murmured under his breath, so faintly that I was barely able to hear it. I looked at him, and then at the chest. It was sealed; I couldn't see what was inside it. What was so special about it?

Before I could ponder further, Luxord turned and opened a portal.

"Time to return" he said. I looked at him curiously, but he didn't say anything. They would never tell me their plans.

Walking through the portal, I arrived back in the common room. Luxord came through a few seconds later, giving me an approving nod.

"Until next time" he said. I watched as he sat down at a couch, and began playing some kind of complicated card game. _Interesting character…_ I thought. He was the Gambler of Fate. Every move seemed calculated. I could never tell what he was going to do next.

Looking around, I spotted Roxas. As I walked up to him, he smiled.

"Ice cream time?" I asked.

"You bet!" he said. He then opened a portal, and we walked through.

After getting ice cream, the two of us ascended the clock tower, and came out on the ledge. Axel was sitting there with his popsicle hanging out of his mouth. I giggled as we came around to sit beside him. He looked at me, wondering why I was laughing, and then looked down his nose at the popsicle, suddenly realizing.

"You look funny like that, Axel" I said, still giggling. "You spacing out now?".

He pulled the popsicle out of his mouth, and held in front of him.

"Nope, just waiting for you slowpokes to show up" he said. Roxas and I both laughed.

"So, you gonna tell us about your super-secret mission today?" I asked tauntingly. "Or is every single one classified?".

"Classified to small-fry like you two" he retorted back.

"What?! That is not fair!" pouted Roxas. "Ya gotta give us something!".

"And who you callin' small-fry?! I may be short, but I'm past the age of adulthood ya know!" I said.

"Still look like a kid to me" Axel replied teasingly, grinning. I gave him a pouty look.

He looked away for a second, taking a bite of his popsicle, and then looked back at us.

"Why are you guys so interested my missions anyway? They're not really that exciting…" he said casually.

"Because you never tell us anything about them!" said Roxas.

"Yeah, it gives them an air of mysteriousness" I added. "C'mon Axel, share something. There's gotta be SOMETHING that you can tell us".

"Uh, alright…" he said, scratching his forehead with his index finger, and looking up at the sky, thinking. "I was attacked by this giant Heartless the other day. It came out of nowhere! Thankfully I'm an adept fighter, and was able to take it out really quickly!" he said in a storytelling voice, while waving his hands around dramatically.

Roxas and I were listening intently, our eyes wide, trying to glean everything we could from what he was saying. It was short-lived though. Our faces dropped when we realized that was all there was to the story.

"That's it?" Roxas and I said in unison, disappointed.

"Yup, told you guys. My missions are classified to small-fry" Axel replied.

Roxas and I both hung our heads. At least we had gotten something.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you think in a review!

If you have any ideas for the story, I'm open to those too!


	19. Chapter 18 - Maleficent and Pete

Hi again everyone! Welcome to another chapter!

Something I wanted to mention, as I'm not sure if an alert is sent out about it. I made a slight addition to the clock tower conversation in the previous chapter. It adds a little more context to the story, so you guys can go back and read that if you want!

Anyways, without further ado, onto the chapter! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 18 – Maleficent and Pete**

 _"Riku?" I said, squinting through the faint light. I saw a black cloaked figure in the distance of the in-between._

 _The figure turned around, their face shadowed by their hood. I stood my ground, suddenly apprehensive of what they would do next. The last time I had seen Riku here alone, he had attacked me. I was sure it was him, but wasn't sure what his reaction would be this time. The last time I had seen him in this place, he had fought Ansem in front of me._

 _He put his hand down to summon his weapon._

 _"Riku, wait! It's me! It's Megan! Don't you remember me?" I said frantically. He stopped his arm short of summoning his weapon. For a second, nothing happened. He simply stood there, presumably studying me under his hood._

 _His posture relaxed, my own following. Was this a good sign? He moved his hands up to his head, and put his hood down, revealing long white hair and a blindfold over his eyes. He seemed to be looking in my direction, but I couldn't see his eyes._

 _"It_ is _you" I said calmly._

 _"How can you be here?" Riku said seriously. I was taken aback at the tone of his voice. He was serious, and also a bit reprimanding._

 _"I-I don't know" I said, stuttering a bit. "I seem to come here sometimes in my dreams... What are_ you _doing here?"._

 _"Since accepting the darkness into my heart, I'm able to come here at will" he replied. He paused for a moment. "I sense darkness in you. That's the reason you're able to come here"._

 _"But I don't have any control over it" I said. "Sometimes I'm here, sometimes I'm not. Ansem-", I quickly corrected, "the darkness within me often tries to take me over when I'm here"._

 _"Is that why you're able to wield the power of darkness now?" Riku said. I went to ask how he knew that, but he continued before I could speak. "I saw you use it". I looked at him incredulously._

 _"That was you, wasn't it? You were the one I saw run behind the wall in the Land of Dragons!" I said. He didn't answer my question, but instead changed the topic of the conversation._

 _"Be careful. The darkness will not hesitate to take you over at the first sign of weakness"._

 _Just then, the environment around me began to shift. The blue swirls gave ways to bright white splotches. I looked up and around me in shock, bringing my arms up from my sides defensively._

 _"What's happening?" I said._

 _"You're waking up" replied Riku simply. My eyes focused on him desperately._

 _"But I have so many more questions!". Everything went white._

I opened my eyes. I was laying in the bed in my castle room. There was no one there. _I was right,_ I thought. _Those dreams are real._

I sat up into a cross-legged position on the bed, and put my hand up to my chin, resting my elbow on my knee, and pondered for a moment. I had so many questions to ask Riku. Would I ever get to see him there again? Would I ever even get to see him and DiZ in the waking world again? It seemed like so long ago that they had gotten me away from the Organization, albeit briefly, and told me the truth. Ever since then, the Organization had kept an especially close eye on me on missions. I doubted they'd be able to pull something like that off again.

Getting up from the bed, I headed for the common area. On arrival, I saw Zexion standing next to Saïx at the back.

"Megan, your mission today will be with Zexion" Saïx said as I walked up to him. My eyes met Zexion's, before he turned and opened a portal with his non-book-holding hand, motioning for me to go in. I walked past him, and entered the portal.

We arrived in Olympus Coliseum, just in front of the main gate where two warriors crossed swords above the entrance.

"It's been a while Megan" said Zexion.

"Yeah, it has" I said turning to him.

"Alright, mission should be short today, so you just take care of your part, leave the rest to me, and we'll be back early" he said. I nodded. Zexion wasn't like Axel and Roxas; he was a little more on the serious side, but he was still kinder than a lot of the other Organization members.

We made our way through the gates, and into the entrance area. There was a small group of Heartless that I made quick work of. Then we headed through to the main coliseum. The sun shone brightly down on us from above, reflecting off the sandy battleground below. The rafters were empty as usual, and all was quiet.

The last time I had been here was with Demyx. A huge Heartless had appeared, and he had fought with me to take it out. That guy _really_ didn't like fighting. I smiled at remembering that mission. It had been my second one. I'd lost count of how many I'd been on now. It felt like I had been doing missions forever.

There was no more time to reminisce though. A group of Heartless shadows appeared in the center of the arena. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran at them. Slashing left, and then right, and finally downwards on the last one, they all disappeared. Zexion walked up beside me as I dismissed my Keyblade, and we continued on toward the other side of the coliseum.

He stopped suddenly a few paces later, taking a defensive posture, and scanning the area.

"Megan, hood up. I don't want this to get more complicated than it needs to be" he said seriously. I looked at him, confused, but did as I was told. I had never had the hood up before; never had reason to.

A moment later, two figures appeared out of the darkness in front of us. It was Maleficent and Pete. My eyes grew wide under the hood at seeing them in person. Their very presence exuded evil.

"I thought I recognized your foul stench" Zexion said callously to Maleficent. I watched her and Pete from under the shadow of my hood. My guard went up immediately upon seeing Maleficent's twisted smile.

"Well hello to you too" she replied, feigning hurt feelings. "I've come to see if we can work out an arrangement, but I'm not sure it'll go over well with that kind of attitude".

"We've no interest in working with you Maleficent. You've been told that before" said Zexion.

"Hmm? You're missing out, I tell you. Imagine what we could accomplish together!" Maleficent replied. When Zexion didn't respond, Maleficent's expression changed to disappointment.

"Welp, it seems they're not interested" said Pete. "Their loss I guess. We should be going then. You've always got me!".

"Silence!" commanded Maleficent. Pete immediately cowered and looked to the ground.

Maleficent's gaze moved to focus on me. She seemed to be studying me, her face changing to one of interest. I was glad the hood was up at this point, as it made me anonymous.

"Who's your companion, Zexion? She doesn't have the scent of a Nobody… I sense a great deal of darkness in her" she said with interest. I tensed up at hearing that. It was like she was peering into my soul.

"None of your business" said Zexion. Maleficent looked at him, again with disappointment.

"Curious…" she said to herself, a sly smile crossing her face. She glanced at me once more before looking away. "Come Pete, we're leaving".

Pete stood back up, coming out of his stupor. He opened a portal, and the both of them walked through, the portal closing afterward.

"That'll be trouble…" Zexion mumbled after they were gone.

"What do you mean?" I asked, pulling my hood down.

"Nothing. We should return to the castle" he responded. At that, he opened a portal. I looked at him briefly before walking through. He seemed to be deep in thought.

* * *

That's it for this chapter!

Please let me know what you think in a review! I really appreciate them!

Until next time!


	20. Chapter 19 - A Game of Cards

Hi everyone! Here's chapter 19!

Onto the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 19 – A Game of Cards**

All the members of the Organization were gathered on their thrones.

"Maleficent's taken an interest in Megan" said Zexion.

"The witch is of no concern to us" said Xemnas. "However… if she has taken notice of Megan's powers, she may make a move. Those who accompany her on missions must be extra vigilant".

"Understood" said all the members in unison.

* * *

As I approached the common area, I saw a piece of paper posted by the door.

'Vacation. No missions today.' it said.

Had that been there on the last day off? I hadn't noticed it before, but then again, the last day off had been a while ago. They seemed to be so random… I headed through the alcove.

Looking around, I was dismayed to see that Axel and Roxas weren't there yet. I wondered what we were going to do for our day off today?

"Megan! Good timing, we could use another player!" I heard Xigbar say coming up to me, just before grabbing my arm.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" I protested, but he didn't let go. He walked, dragging me along, over to a grouping of armchairs that were situated in a cross formation with a square table in the center. As we approached, he let my arm go just in time to fall into one, while he settled into another.

"Ah, Megan. Good morning" said Luxord, who was sitting to my right.

I got myself situated after falling awkwardly into the chair, before responding.

"Uh, morning…" I said to him, and then looked to my left. "What the heck was that for Xigbar?!". Xigbar merely smirked.

"Oh, don't blame him. We needed a fourth player, and you happened to walk in" said Luxord casually. "He just nudged you a bit in our direction".

"More like dragged!" I protested. I went to get up from the chair, but Xigbar pushed my shoulder back down.

"Don't worry, Megan. It's only a game of cards" he said, smirking. I huffed, and relaxed in the chair. A card game with Luxord? I wasn't really sure if that was such a good idea; he was the Gambler of Fate after all…

"Are you familiar with the game Euchre?" Luxord asked me. I looked at him, surprised.

"Uh, yeah… I think. It's been a while since I've played it…" I said. Luxord played freakin' Euchre?!

"Good. Then we're all set!" he said cheerfully. "You and Demyx will be partners against myself and Xigbar. Five tricks to a point, five-point game". I looked across the table; I hadn't even noticed Demyx sitting there until now. He looked semi-interested.

Luxord shuffled the cards in his hand for the millionth time, and began dealing them out. Once everyone had their cards, we all picked them up and started sorting our hands. Luxord put the remaining pile down, and flipped up the first card of the kitty. It was the queen of hearts.

I had three hearts in my hand. I definitely wanted that to be trump! Since Luxord had dealt the cards, I was first up to decide.

"So Megan, what'll it be?" Luxord said. His face was unreadable. They all looked at me.

"Hearts sounds good to me!" I said. Luxord picked up the card into his hand, discarded another, and the game began.

I played my highest non-trump card first; an ace of spades. I wanted to try and get all the others' trump cards out first. I may have had three hearts cards, but they weren't very high. Xigbar followed with a jack of spades, Demyx with a nine of clubs, and Luxord with a nine of hearts.

"Trumped!" said Xigbar victoriously. Luxord and Xigbar took the trick. I looked at Demyx, who just shrugged his shoulders at me.

The next trick went better, Demyx trumping everyone. The following was won by Luxord, and the fourth by me.

"All right!" said Demyx enthusiastically after I won the trick. "Nice one Megan! You tied it up!". We both stood up, and high fived across the table, smiling at each other.

"Last trick decides the point" said Luxord.

Everyone was really into the game now. We all played our final cards of the point. Luxord beat everyone again.

"Ahh... that sucks. Ah well, we put up a good fight on that one, eh Megan?" said Demyx, looking at me. I nodded, smiling. Things were getting competitive. Cards with the Organization members was proving to be a lot of fun! We all ramped up for the next round.

Demyx and I won the second and fourth points, Luxord and Xigbar the third. It was tied up for the final point!

As Luxord once again became the dealer for the final round, Demyx and I looked at each other determinedly.

"We got this Demyx!" I said across the table. He nodded. We made a good team.

We played through the tricks, but got completely obliterated the whole round. Xigbar and Luxord took the point and game.

"Unde-feated!" said Xigbar triumphantly. I sighed, but then smiled. Demyx looked back at me with a similar expression.

"Well done, Megan. You've proven to be quite an adversary. I don't think anyone's come that close to beating us in a long time" Luxord said calmly. I looked at him, blushing a little. "We shall have to play again sometime".

"Got conned into playing cards with Luxord, eh Megan?" came Axel's voice from beside Demyx. He was now standing between the chairs that Xigbar and Demyx were sitting in.

"Axel!" I said, happy to see him. I paused. "More like dragged". I looked at Xigbar. "Quite literally".

"Oh…?" Axel said looking at Xigbar skeptically.

"I didn't hurt her, I swear!" said Xigbar quickly, waving his hands in front of him. Axel gave him a look, before meeting my eyes again. I giggled at the two of them.

"Not going too hard on you, are they?" he asked.

"Well, Luxord and Xigbar won… but it was close" I said. "We've just finished".

"Ah, you've got a challenger it seems Luxord. Better keep up your card skills" said Axel.

"Yes, I shall" Luxord said inquisitively, stroking his chin while looking at me.

"Anyways… if you guys are done here, mind if I steal Megan away from you?" asked Axel.

"By all means. The game is over" said Luxord, waving his hand across the table.

I got up from the chair, and walked over to Axel. He turned around and led me to another set of couches where Roxas was sitting. We stopped to stand beside him.

"Hey Roxas" Axel said. Roxas looked up, and seeing me, put on a smile.

"So, what's the plan today?" I asked them.

"Dunno, haven't really thought about it" said Axel. "Where do you want to go?".

"Me?" I said, surprised. I hadn't really thought about it either. "How about Destiny Islands again? That place was nice!".

"Alright, sounds good!" said Axel. "Roxas, you ready?". Roxas nodded. He got up, and Axel opened a portal. We all walked through.

We arrived on the beach like the last time. It was just like I remembered it. The wind rustled by, and the sun bounced off the water giving it an auburn tint. It was beautiful. I didn't think I could ever get bored of this place.

We walked up to the bent-over palm tree, and took our places to look out at the water. I closed my eyes, letting the breeze blow past my face as my legs dangled. It was heavenly.

"Wish I could create portals…" I wondered aloud as I opened my eyes. "Then I could come here whenever I wanted…".

"Don't think Saïx would approve though…" said Axel with a tinge of seriousness to his voice. I looked at him.

"Yeah… I suppose not" I laughed, looking down. "He'd probably think I'd try and run off. Not like that's an issue with my tracker and all though anyway. You guys would find me in two seconds".

"You do have a point there…" Roxas chimed in.

We all sat there for some time, taking in the view. I broke the silence.

"Will completing Kingdom Hearts really get you guys hearts?" I asked, looking at Axel and Roxas. They both looked at me in surprise for a moment, before Axel spoke.

"That's the plan. It's what we're all working towards" he said. "Why?".

I looked down for a moment. I had never understood why DiZ had destroyed Kingdom Hearts at the end of the game.

"I don't have anything against that. If completing Kingdom Hearts will do that for you, I don't mind helping. I want you guys to get hearts, if that's what'll make you happy" I said. I looked up at them, smiling. "You're my friends".

They both looked at me with complete surprise.

* * *

That's it for this one!

Hope you enjoyed!

Please review to let me know what you think! It really encourages me to continue writing, and helps me to improve the story! :)


	21. Chapter 20 - Tandem Keyblades

Welcome to another chapter!

Has everyone seen the new KHIII trailer? Mind = blown.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 20 – Tandem Keyblades**

After our day off, I felt much closer to Axel and Roxas. I had finally told them that I wanted to help them complete Kingdom Hearts and get hearts of their own. And it was true. The circumstances I had come here under may not have been the best, but I knew that not everyone in the Organization were bad people.

I didn't agree with everything that they did, but at least I could help my friends in this way while I was here. I felt like there had been this wall between myself, and Axel and Roxas, with me being forced to collect hearts on missions. Now that I had told them I wanted to help, it was down, and we could truly work together as comrades. We had been doing so all along, but now it would be by my choice, not because I was being forced to do it.

Arriving in the common room to get my mission for the day, I was surprised to see Roxas standing beside Saïx. Was I finally going on a mission with him? Walking up to Saïx, I waited to hear.

"Megan, today you will be on-mission with Roxas" he said. My eyes lit up. Excitement filled me the second I heard the last word. I _was_ getting to go on a mission with Roxas! I turned to look at him, barely able to contain my excitement.

"Morning Megan!" he said cheerfully. "We're finally teamed up on a mission!".

"Yeah! Where are we going today?" I asked.

"Twilight Town!" he replied happily. "You ready to go?".

"You bet!" I said.

Roxas turned and opened a portal. We walked through together.

Arriving on the other side, we came out in the underground. The area had multiple hallways with a central square room with different entrances from each side. We had arrived at the highest hallway. Roxas turned to me.

"Alright, you know the drill by now I'm sure" he said. "Let's go find those Heartless, and complete Kingdom Hearts!".

"Sounds good!" I replied.

Things had become much more relaxed between us now that I had actually come out and said I wanted to help them complete Kingdom Hearts and get hearts of their own. I still didn't know what Xemnas had planned for me, but at least I could help my friends out this way for now.

Both of us summoned our Keyblades, and began walking together in search of Heartless. It didn't take long to find any. A group of small shadows appeared a few paces from where we had arrived.

"Ready for it?" Roxas said.

"You know it!" I replied more determinedly than ever before.

We both ran at the group, Keyblades at the ready. Roxas took the ones on the left, me the right. I slashed right, and then left, and turned around to face one that was walking off. Aiming my Keyblade at it, I yelled "Fire!". The flames engulfed the small Heartless without a trace, its' heart floating up and away.

"Nice!" Roxas said as we both took out the last ones. We walked up to each other and gave a high five in passing, continuing on together. Fighting together with tandem Keyblades was way more fun than fighting alone! Roxas and I made a great team.

Making our way down the hallway, we rounded the corner, descending further into the underground. Coming into the central square area, all was quiet. There had been a few more Heartless scattered here and there, but we had taken them out in no time flat. Nothing had really challenged us yet.

Walking toward the centre of the room, I suddenly felt a dark presence. A few moments later, a Darkside appeared out of the floor in front of us, growing to the height of the ceiling. Roxas and I both took a few steps back, looking up at it, our Keyblades at the ready.

"You ever fought one of these before?" Roxas asked beside me, not taking his eyes off it.

"Yeah, once. It was with Demyx on my second mission" I replied, doing the same.

"Alright then, let's do this!" Roxas said determinedly.

"Yeah!" I replied just as determinedly.

We both ran at the Darkside with our Keyblades. Roxas attacked from the left, me from the right. I jumped up, and slashed down its' side, jumping back a few paces after landing on the ground. I saw Roxas do the same.

I looked over at him, and he nodded. In unison, we ran back at the Heartless, slashing it in the legs multiple times before backing off. It fell over a few seconds later.

"Now!" I heard Roxas yell.

From opposite sides, we ran up to it, jumped, and plunged our Keyblades into its' stomach. Bright white lights came streaming out, and a few seconds later, it dispersed into a flurry of darkness, myself and Roxas falling to the ground below. A large heart floated up into the ceiling.

"Alright! We did it!" I exclaimed, giving Roxas a high five.

"Yeah!" he said just as cheerfully.

"We make a good team, you and I! Two Keyblades are better than one; why haven't we been paired up until now?" I said.

"Who knows?" said Roxas. "Anyways, let's see if we can find more Heartless topside".

"Sounds good" I said.

We walked up to the exit, and came out in an alleyway. Just down the path I saw the entrance to The Usual Spot. I had never been in this area of Twilight Town before. Just as I thought about walking over to see Roxas's hangout in virtual Twilight Town, Hayner, Pence, and Olette ran out from it, going in the opposite direction of us. I watched after them.

"Hey Roxas, have you ever talked to those kids?" I asked.

"Huh? I think Axel and I did once or twice early on. We try to keep contact with the locals to a minimum" he said. "Why do you ask?".

"No reason" I said. He wouldn't know them. Roxas had never been taken by Riku and put in the simulated Twilight Town here. He had always been with the Organization, since the beginning of the 358/2 Days storyline. It was becoming more and more confusing trying to keep things separate.

"You coming?" I heard Roxas say. He had walked over to the alcove beside the underground exit.

"Oh, yeah sorry!" I said. I walked over to meet him, and we continued on.

We took out a few more groups of Heartless on the way down to Tram Common, not coming across many people. The streets were quiet, which I thought was strange, but Roxas didn't. As we came into a large area with a cylindrical building in the centre, a whole bunch of Heartless appeared. Summoning our Keyblades, Roxas and I went to work.

I ran to the right of the building, going after a group of Mega-Shadows that had appeared, Roxas to the left to do the same. I slashed at them a few times, but these ones were a lot stronger. As they crowded around me, I lifted my Keyblade up in the air, and yelled "Thunder!". Bright bolts of lightning came raining down all around me, indiscriminately taking out all Heartless in their path.

Every single one was hit, disappearing in a wisp of darkness, and releasing a heart into the sky. I looked over at Roxas, who was still working on a couple in his group. I could just see him around the cylindrical building. I looked around, and finding another grouping a few meters ahead, moved to attack it.

Taking out the last of the second group, I took a breath and looked around. There weren't any Heartless in my immediate vicinity. I looked in the direction where Roxas had been earlier. He had moved forward a bit like I had, and was just finishing off the last Heartless in his group.

It disappeared, and he looked over in my direction, giving me a smile. Suddenly, a pureblood Heartless appeared behind him.

"Roxas, look out behind you!" I yelled, but it was too late. Before he even had the chance to turn around, the pureblood struck him from behind, throwing him to the ground.

There was no time to waste. Dismissing my Keyblade, I thrust my hand out in front of me.

"Hah!" I yelled as I sent off a blast of darkness at it. It connected, causing the pureblood to disappear. Roxas got up from the ground, recovering from the attack, and looked behind me in horror.

"Megan, look out!" he yelled, reaching his hand out toward me. I turned around just in time to look up at Pete, towering over me.

"Heh heh heh. She'll be happy to see those dark powers o' yours" he said.

Something hard hit me in the back of the head. My knees gave out under me, and I slumped forward over his arm just before losing consciousness.

* * *

I woke up laying on cold, hard ground. Opening my eyes slightly, I saw a tall figure looming over me.

"Welcome, Megan" said Maleficent.

* * *

Ooooooh... my first cliffy!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please let me know what you think in a review!


	22. Chapter 21 - The True Power Within

Hello again everyone! Hope you're enjoying the story so far!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It really means a lot to me!

Now without further ado, onto the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 21 – The True Power Within**

"She was under your watch, and you lost her" Saïx reprimanded Roxas. He was standing at the back of the common room in a circle with Axel and Roxas.

"There was nothing I could do! Pete showed up out of nowhere!" Roxas replied desperately, shaking his arms.

"That's not the only issue" said Saïx. "Her tracker went offline moments ago".

"You don't think-" began Roxas, but Axel interjected.

"I doubt that was Megan's doing. She just told us the other day that she wanted to help complete Kingdom Hearts for us. More than likely Maleficent's deactivated or destroyed it so we can't find her" he said.

"Regardless of the circumstances, you will retrieve her, Axel" Saïx said. "Her last known location was near the castle at Hollow Bastion. Leave immediately".

"Yes, sir…" said Axel, a little taken aback at the sudden order. _Figures they would take her there,_ he thought. _The witch's old lair. We've been through that place countless times though… there must be a hidden area._

* * *

I tried to lift my head up, but felt a dull ache the second I moved it. It was in the spot where Pete had knocked me unconscious. Opening my eyes fully, I saw the owner of the voice I recognized as Maleficent's. She was standing over me.

I was about to speak when I saw something floating in a cloud of darkness five feet above me. It was a small computer chip, the size of the tip of my pinky.

"Such a crude device" said Maleficent. "You know this is what they were using to track you? Pitiful".

I stared up at it in disbelief. Just like that, my tracker was removed? I didn't feel any incisions on my back; how had she gotten it out?

Maleficent waved her hand a few moments later, and the tracker exploded into oblivion. I watched as the pieces seemingly disappeared into nothingness in the air above me. It was … gone? I felt both relief and fear at the same time. Relief that the Organization could no longer track me, but fear at what Maleficent now had planned for me. I looked her straight in the eyes.

"What do you want with me?" I said as defiantly as I could.

"You have a great deal of darkness within you, my dear" she said. "However… there is something else. Something I have never seen before…".

My brain was feeling a little less fuzzy, and the pain in the back of my head had subsided a bit, so I decided to give sitting up another try. I brought myself to a cross-legged position with only minimal dizziness. Maleficent walked past me to stand a few feet away.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, weak and confused.

"I sense a different kind of darkness within you" she replied.

"I sustained an injury from a dusk, and the darkness from it came out and attacked me. It went inside my body" I said.

"Oh…?" said Maleficent. "That explains why there are two darknesses within you". My face showed surprise, but only for a second.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still defiantly.

"The darkness does not just attack anyone, child. It sensed a particularly unique darkness within you, and was attracted to it" she replied.

"I'm not a kid! And I didn't have any darkness within me before that attack" I said.

"All beings have both light and darkness within them; you are no exception" she said. "However, your darkness seems to have been suppressed… the only one I know of with that ability is the one who calls himself DiZ…".

I was taken aback at hearing that. What? DiZ had suppressed my darkness? Why?

"It will not remain as such for long, however…" she continued, studying me. "The rogue darkness has begun to merge with your own. Your untapped darkness is beginning to release".

Could that explain why I was able to sense the Darkside before it had appeared earlier? I had never sensed a presence like that before… I gulped, thinking about it. I had two darknesses merging within me? And what was so special about my darkness that had attracted the other?

"I'm puzzled however as to why the Organization would take someone like you into their ranks… You're not a Nobody…" Maleficent said.

"I'm not part of the Organization. I'm their prisoner" I said.

"Oh? You didn't seem like a prisoner on the occasion I met you" she replied.

"A lot's happened since they captured me. I was rescued from them once, but they found me in less than ten minutes thanks to that tracker you just destroyed. There wasn't really a point in trying to run once I knew they'd track me down not long after" I explained.

"She's awake, huh?" I heard Pete's voice as he came walking up from my right.

My head felt fine now. The dizziness and aching had passed. I stood up, and turned to face him, mustering the most threatening face I could.

"It was you that summoned that pureblood to attack Roxas, wasn't it?" I said menacingly. "You used it to distract me".

"Yup. And it worked like a charm" said Pete.

I scrunched my face up in anger, my right-hand balling into a fist. I saw Maleficent grin out of the corner of my eye. I turned around to face her.

"It's been a long time since I've had an apprentice" she said slyly. "You shall be my most powerful one yet!".

She had to have been talking about Riku. I didn't want to end up like him, but it didn't seem I was being given much choice. I gave her the dirtiest look I could.

"Yes, Megan. Bring out your darkness! Show me what you can do!" she said.

"Gladly" I muttered, a sly smile crossing my face.

I stepped back one foot, and thrust my hand forward, sending a blast of darkness right at her. Maleficent looked unamused as she swiped her staff diagonally, dispersing the darkness just before it hit her.

"Pitiful" she said.

I took a step back, surprised at how easily she had dispelled my attack.

"You have barely begun to use the darkness. Let me show you what real power looks like!" she said.

She pointed her staff at me, and in the next moment, my body began glowing strong hues of green and purple. The darkness was pouring off of me. I took a few steps back, looking down at my arms and chest. It subsided, and I looked at Maleficent.

"How did you do that?" I asked seriously. "The coat is supposed to stop the darkness within me from coming out on its' own".

" _I_ control the darkness in the worlds. It answers to _me_. Your darkness is no different" she replied. I gritted my teeth.

Looking around, I examined the room we were in. Pete was still standing off to my right, grinning stupidly. The room was a large square shape with a tall, vaulted ceiling. There were four sets of stairs off the large platform we were all standing on; Pete had come up the ones to my right. The only way out of the place was an opening I could see in the wall a good ways past Maleficent.

I looked for something I could throw. There was some loose debris off in the corner. That would work perfectly. Calling upon the darkness within me, I lifted some of it into the air behind Maleficent, and attempted to hit her from behind. She saw it coming though. Stepping to the right, it went past her at lightning speed and crashed into the wall behind me, narrowly missing my head. I stood there in shock. Maleficent merely grinned.

"Very good" she said. "But let's see what else you've got".

She pointed her staff at me once again, and my body began to glow green and purple once more. This time I felt power welling up inside me. Dark power. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

I put my hands together, and slowly built up a ball of darkness. This wasn't the same one that I had created before, it was like the ones the Darksides had created. It grew to the same size as me. I held it in front of me, staring at what I had created in surprise.

"Haaaah!" I yelled louder than normal as I launched it straight at Maleficent. She merely stepped to the side, giving an evil smirk, seemingly pleased by my new ability.

My body still glowing, I decided to try something else. This time I thrust my hands out to my sides, arching my chest forward, and willing the dark power out of my body.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Suddenly, the room was filled with beams of light and darkness in all directions, bouncing off the walls, and emanating from my body. They went from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and on diagonals as well. It was a combination of light and dark power.

Pete looked nervous, and ducked, using his hands to protect his head, trying to avoid the beams. He scampered out of the room a few moments later. Maleficent merely looked amused, none of the beams coming anywhere near her.

As the attack ended, my arms fell, and I collapsed down to kneel on one leg, putting my hand on my knee for support, and breathing heavily. The green and purple glow dissipated. That attack had taken a lot out of me.

"Very good. You control the darkness well" said Maleficent approvingly, walking closer to me. I lifted my head to look up at her, a few feet away from me now.

"What… was that?" I said, out of breath.

"That was a taste of the true power inside you" she replied.

I looked at her incredulously. _That_ was what was inside me? And only a taste of it? What the heck was that?! It made me nervous.

"With that power, we shall rule over everything!" announced Maleficent. "When Sora comes to help those pitiful fools trying to rebuild Radiant Garden, it will be his end. That boy will not get in my way after what I have planned for him…". She laughed cruelly.

I went numb at hearing that, slumping over from lack of strength. _I have to get out here,_ I thought, looking at the ground. _But how?_ I thought about it for a moment, looking around. Pete had run off, and was nowhere to be seen. _The opening!_ I looked over at the only exit to the room. Maleficent was still laughing uncontrollable at her evil plan, distracted. I made a break for it.

I ran straight for the opening, and into the hallway beyond. Everything was dark, the lights only dimly illuminating the walls. It was similar to the interior of the rest of the castle that I had seen before, but I had never been in this area on a mission. Rounding the first right I came across, I continued on down yet another hallway. It ended in a left, which I followed, barely slowing down.

I didn't look back to see if anyone was following; I was going completely on adrenaline. I came to another turn, leading left again. Rounding the corner, I nearly ran into someone else wearing a black coat. Stopping myself just short of bumping into them, I looked up at spiky red hair.

"Axel!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm sorry about this, Megan" he said without emotion in his voice or face.

I looked at him, confused. In the next second, he moved like a blur, and I felt something hard impact the back of my head. I fell forward over his arm as I fell unconscious.

* * *

I woke up on my back again, on a familiar surface this time. Opening my eyes, I looked up at the dark ceiling of a dimly lit room. I was laying on the table in Vexen's lab. The last time I had been here was when he had patched up my arm from the dusk attack. I looked over to my left where he had been standing at the lab table last time. He was there again, working with some tools on the table, and had his back to me.

"V-Vexen…" I said, barely a whisper. He turned around.

"Ah, she's awake!" he said.

"I'm sorry I had to do that back there, Megan" came Axel's voice from behind me. I tried to turn my head to look at him, but it was too difficult. Instead, I turned back to the ceiling.

"It's okay. You did what you had to. Orders, right?" I said calmly, trying to smile.

I had been free. But it had been fleeting. What Maleficent had told me concerned me though. Why had DiZ suppressed my darkness? What else had he done that I didn't know about? How could I trust him now, knowing what I knew? I sighed. Thinking about it only made my head hurt. There were other more pressing things I had to deal with first.

I went to prop myself up with my arms, but felt an intense pain in my upper back once it left the table.

"Ugh!" I grimaced in pain, squeezing my eyes shut. Vexen moved to support me with his arms, but stopped short.

I managed to get myself to a seated position on the table. Feeling my back where the pain was, there was a small line of broken skin that had been stitched back together.

"Sorry about that, Megan. I had to implant another tracker in you. Can't have you running off on us now…" said Vexen jokingly, but also serious.

"Maleficent took the last one out without breaking the skin!" I spat back at him. Though I immediately regretted it.

There was a sharp pain in the spot where he had put the new tracker in. I winced at it immediately, curling in on myself for a second. I guess I had tensed up a little too much saying that. Vexen frowned.

"The witch has powers that I do not in that regard. You will simply have to deal with my medical ways of doing things" he said proudly.

I relaxed, the pain subsiding, and put my legs down to hang off the side of the table near where Vexen was standing. I looked over at Axel, who was sitting in a chair behind the table near where my head had been. He had a conflicted look on his face, and was trying not to make eye contact with me. I spoke anyway.

"Axel..." I began weakly. "Maleficent's going after Sora. We've got to stop her".

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Please review to let me know what you thought!

Until next time!


	23. Chapter 22 - The Heartless War

Hi everyone! Here's another chapter for ya!

Thanks go out to Broncozfan623 and opalander for reviewing the last chapter! It really means a lot!

Now, onto the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 22 – The Heartless War**

I sat off the side of my bed the next morning, waiting for Axel to come get me. They were organizing a meeting in the thrones room. After I had told Axel about Maleficent's plans for Sora, Xemnas wanted to know more, and was gathering everyone to hear. What I had learnt must've struck a chord with them.

I sat there, and half-laughed to myself. I really was an honorary member of the Organization. I was collecting hearts, and now I was going to report information I had learned to them. I sighed. What an unexpected turn of events.

The previous day ran through my mind. What Maleficent had said about

DiZ was troubling me. Why would he suppress a part of me? Could I really trust him? I didn't know him other than as a character from a videogame. Even then he was always mysterious. If I couldn't trust him, what could I do?

Just then, Axel walked in the door. I looked up at him.

"They're ready" he said to me. I got up and walked over to join him as we left the room.

Coming to the double doors I had seen only once before, we stopped. Axel looked down at me as we stood in front of the doors.

"You ready?" he asked me. I looked at him and nodded, trying to look more confident than I was.

He opened the doors, and putting his hand lightly on my upper back, led me into the room and up onto the cylinder in the middle. I looked up. Every single Organization member was on their throne, save Axel who was standing beside me looking up as well. Some had their hoods up, others down. Xemnas' hood was down as he addressed the room.

"Welcome everyone" he said. "It has been brought to my attention that the witch Maleficent intends to interfere with our plans. Megan has learnt of a plot to destroy Sora…". He made eye contact with me. I went stiff as a board initially, but regained my composure. "Tell us what you have learned, Megan".

I looked to Axel for support, who nodded, before telling them what I had heard from Maleficent. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Maleficent said that once Sora shows up at Hollow Bastion to help those trying to rebuild Radiant Garden, it will be his end" I began. "She said that he won't get in her way after what she has planned for him".

"Was she planning on using you for this plan?" Zexion asked. I looked in his direction.

"I don't think so. It sounded like she had been planning it for a while" I replied.

"This will most definitely affect our plans for the Heartless War…" said Xaldin. I tensed, knowing what he was talking about.

"The Heartless War?" I said, surprised, looking at him through the dark shadow under his hood. They were still planning on setting that trap for Sora, even with myself and Roxas already collecting hearts?

"Axel" Saïx said, looking in his direction. It was like a non-verbal cue, as Axel's demeanor immediately changed.

"C'mon Megan, let's go" Axel said to me, ushering me back towards the door, a little more forcefully this time.

"Wait, hey!" I protested, desperate to hear more.

The others spoke amongst themselves.

"We'll need act fast if we're to stop Maleficent. Sora'll be there soon, if he's not already" I heard Xigbar say. I gasped.

We exited the room, Axel closing the door behind us.

"What the heck Axel!" I said once he turned back around to face me.

"You weren't supposed to hear that" Axel replied quietly. "Just keep it to yourself, and you'll be fine". I stared blankly at him. He dropped me off in my room a short while later.

"Missions have been cancelled today" he said on his way out. "Wait here until someone comes to get you after the meeting". With that, he closed the door.

I walked over to the bed, going over what I had just heard. The Heartless War was happening. The trap they had set for Sora in the game to release a massive amount of hearts. And it was happening soon. Sora could already be at Hollow Bastion. I knew exactly where he was, and I couldn't do a thing. I couldn't go anywhere! I walked up to the wall beside the door.

"Damn it!" I cursed, banging my fists against it. It was so frustrating!

I relaxed my hand, letting my palms rest against the wall as I leaned over and looked at the ground. So close, yet so far. My concentration was broken when I saw black wisps of darkness start to spread across the wall from where my hand was resting. Stepping back a few paces, I couldn't believe my eyes. The swirling waves of a portal had formed!

I looked at it, in utter astonishment. Had I created it? Where did it lead? I had minor reservations standing there staring at it, but pushed them aside. This was my chance. If it led to Sora, it would be worth it. I ran through the portal.

Should've walked through. I came out on the other side at lighting speed, just stopping myself in time from running into a rock face. I put my hand up to the rock, breathing heavily as I bent over. Adrenaline was coursing through my body.

"It's you!" I heard a familiar voice say. Taking a deep breath, I turned around to see Sora, Donald, and Goofy standing a short distance away from me up the path.

"Sora!" I exclaimed, looking at them incredulously. They walked up to me as I straightened up.

"Uh… I never got your name before…" Sora said awkwardly, scratching his forehead with his index finger.

"Oh! It's Megan" I said.

"It's nice to meet you properly this time, Megan. This is Donald and Goofy" said Sora motioning to each of them. I nodded to both.

"I'm so glad I found you again! Can we walk while we talk? It won't take long before the Organization realizes I'm gone" I said quickly. Sora looked a little confused at first, but then nodded.

"So… why are they holding you captive?" Sora asked as we walked along the passageway.

"Because of what I know about them" I replied. "It's complicated, but I know a lot of their secrets".

"Like what?" Sora asked.

Before I could answer, a tall figure appeared out of the darkness a short distance in front of us. It was Maleficent. Her sly smile was evident on her face. I ran in front of Sora and the others, and summoned my Keyblade.

"I won't let you hurt Sora!" I said defiantly.

"Oh? The little pet of the Organization wishes to defy me?" Maleficent said. "You should've stayed with me. We could have ruled everything!".

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in having anything to do with _you_ " I replied snarkily.

Just then, I saw Sora walk up beside me out of the corner of my eye. A look of surprise crossed my face as I turned to look at him.

"You don't have to worry about us, Megan" he said. "We can take her out together!". He smiled at me. Typical Sora, always positive.

"I think I may die of boredom if I have to hear any more" Maleficent said.

We both looked at her, putting on determined faces after she'd broken our moment. Maleficent moved to attack. We nodded at each other, and the battle began. Maleficent launched an orb of darkness from her staff straight at us. We jumped opposite ways to avoid it. It narrowly missed Donald and Goofy, who were standing back a ways. I heard them both shriek as they jumped out of the way.

Together Sora and I rushed Maleficent with our Keyblades, each taking a side. We attacked her head-on with a few slashes, and then backed away before making our next move. Maleficent hadn't expected this, and was momentarily stunned. I nodded to Sora, and we went in for the next attack.

Just before our attacks connected however, Maleficent laughed and disappeared in a puddle of darkness. Our Keyblades both came down to the ground, connecting with empty air, both of us breathing heavily.

"Where'd she go?" said Sora, surprised.

"That's not the last you've seen of her" I said. "She plans on settling the score between you two. Keep an eye out".

We both dismissed our Keyblades, looking where to go next. Fighting with Sora was surprisingly similar to fighting with Roxas. Similar attack patterns. Well, I suppose Roxas was Sora's Nobody…

After deciding how to proceed, we headed for a passageway leading up the mountain. There was no sign of Maleficent, but we kept on our guard.

"Who was that guy you were with before?" Sora asked. "He seemed so familiar…".

Just as I was about to answer his question, we came out to a large landing on the mountain, and our attention was distracted by the scene in front of us. Mickey was standing in front of Xemnas.

"Xehanort!" said Mickey.

"How long has it been since I abandoned that name?" said Xemnas. He then looked past Mickey, straight at me, and smirked before disappearing into the darkness.

"Stop!" said Mickey as he ran after him.

 _Uh oh_ , I thought. _Now they definitely know I've left…_ Sora ran to the spot where Mickey had just been.

"King Mickey!" he said, but it was pointless. Mickey was gone.

He turned around to face us, a somber look on his face. Donald and Goofy walked over to comfort him. I stayed where I was. They seemed to have this in hand.

"Sora, he'll be alright. Mickey can take care of himself" I said, trying to cheer him up.

I looked around anxiously. We were too exposed here.

"Listen… we need to keep moving. Maleficent's not gonna stop until she gets to you. I came here to warn you after finding out about her plan" I said seriously.

Just as I was about to walk towards them, Lexaeus, Saïx, Axel, and Marluxia appeared out of the darkness around me. I gasped, and before I could do anything, Lexaeus grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but it was an iron grip; no amount of struggling could get out of it.

"Lexaeus! Let me go!" I protested. He merely looked at me without expression. My struggling barely phasing him.

I went to summon my Keyblade, but he grabbed my other arm before I could, holding both from behind me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" he said calmly. I gasped in surprise at his words. What did that mean?

The others were standing a pace or two in front of me, and off to the side a little. Axel was standing to my left, Saïx to my right, and Marluxia to his right. I could see Sora standing only ten feet in front of me.

"I apologize for the intrusion, Sora" Saïx said emotionlessly. "We have come to collect Megan". Saïx turned, giving me a disapproving look. I looked back at him defiantly. He returned his focus to Sora.

"Why are you holding her captive? Just because she knows a few of your secrets?" Sora challenged. Saïx merely grinned.

"Oh, she is so much more important than that" he said.

"As I told you before Sora, she is very important to the Organization" added Marluxia.

Sora looked at him in recognition again.

"Why do you seem so familiar? How do I know you?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" said Marluxia mesmerizingly.

I struggled against Lexaeus grip again, but it was useless. Once he had a firm grip, there was no getting out of it.

The conversation was interrupted by another figure appearing out of the darkness, this time a short ways behind Sora. Maleficent smiled as she saw her prey in addition to the Organization members.

"Sora, look out!" I yelled desperately.

"There you are, Sora" Maleficent said cruelly.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy turned, and jumped to the side, getting out of the middle of the Organization members and Maleficent. The three groups now formed a triangle standing on the landing.

"Maleficent, 'fraid we can't let you interfere in our plans for Sora" said Axel in front of me. I listened to the conversation.

Maleficent focused her attention on him, and smirked.

"And just what do you plan on doing about it?" she retorted back.

"Well, I was thinking about sending you back to the Realm of Darkness where you belong" he taunted, smirking.

"Axel" Saïx said, turning his head to make eye contact with him. Axel's expression changed.

"Seems the time for talk is over" he said darkly.

Axel then summoned his chakrams, set them ablaze, and sent them flying at Maleficent. She stepped aside, dodging the attack. The chakrams returned to him.

"Enough" said Saïx, and with a snap of his finger, he summoned four dusks to surround her.

"You think these creatures can defeat me?!" she said with anger. She summoned four Soldier Heartless to attack the dusks.

I gasped. This was almost how it had happened in the game. The Heartless were no match. The dusks crushed them as if they were nothing, and continued moving in on Maleficent. They leaped at her, stretching their bodies across her shoulders, causing her to fall to the ground. She looked up at Saïx defiantly, and then at Sora.

"I shall have my revenge on you yet!" she said, just before disappearing into the darkness.

The dusks recovered and turned toward Sora, who took a step back. Saïx snapped his fingers, and the dusks disappeared, to be replaced by Armoured Nights. They ran to surround Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Sora looked at them, his Keyblade at the ready.

"Which side are you guys on, anyway?" he said.

"The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest" said Saïx simply. He then waved his hand, and the Heartless began their attack.

Sora defeated a couple, releasing hearts into the sky.

"Yes, Sora. Extract more hearts" said Saïx.

He then turned and opened a portal, Lexaeus walking me toward it. I looked toward Sora as he was fighting. He saw me through an opening in the Heartless for a moment, and reached his arm out, trying to help, but couldn't get through. Lexaeus took me through the portal first, the others following right behind. The last I saw of Sora was him parrying an attack from the sword of one of the Heartless.

* * *

Yes, I totally just incorporated a scene from the game! Was it epic?

Let me know what you think in a review!

Until next time!


	24. Chapter 23 - Nickname

Hi everyone!

This chapter's a lot more lighthearted and funny than recent ones. I had a lot of fun writing it!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 23 - Nickname**

We exited the portal at the back of the common area in the castle. There was no one else there. Lexaeus released me once everyone was through, shortly after the portal had closed. I took a few steps forward, my back to them, and tried the summon another portal. I had to get back to Sora. Who knew when Maleficent would come after him again?

I raised my hand, and tried to summon a portal in the air in front of me. Nothing happened. A few more tries yielded dead air. The final attempt conjured some wisps of darkness, but nothing more. I gave up, hunching over, defeated. I couldn't get back to Sora. The first time must've been a fluke. I probably looked silly holding my hand in the air for so long.

"Well, that answers the question as to how she got to Hollow Bastion…" I heard Axel say behind me.

I turned around to face them. Lexaeus, Saïx, Axel, and Marluxia were all standing side by side a few feet in front of me, a short distance from where the portal had closed.

"How long have you been able to create portals?" said Saïx seriously. I was taken aback at his tone. It was harsh. His eyes were boring into mine.

"That was the first time" I said calmly, but determinedly. I was trying to act strong and collected, even though Saïx always made me nervous, especially right now.

Saïx continued staring at me, clearly requiring more information. I looked at Axel, and then back at him.

"Look, I don't know how it happened" I began. "I was in my room with my hand on the wall, when suddenly wisps of darkness emanated from it and spread. Before I knew it, a full-fledged portal had formed". I paused, looking at my hand briefly before looking back at him. "As you can see, it was a fluke. I can't create another one".

That seemed to satisfy him in that regard.

"What was the point of your little escapade, anyway?" he continued, with less antagonism this time. "You knew we would take care of the situation".

"How would I know that?! You had Axel take me out of the room before any of the discussion as to what to do! I had to warn Sora. An opportunity appeared, and I took it" I said.

"Need I remind you that you are our prisoner" he said, clearly displeased with my tone. "I will not tolerate escape attempts". He said the last sentence with an iciness in his voice. It was a warning.

I turned my head away from them, scoffing.

"C'mon Saïx, lighten up. I don't think she was trying to escape… more like going on ahead for recon" Axel said lightly as he walked toward me, putting his hand on my head. I looked up at him in surprise. He lowered it to rest on my right shoulder as he came to stand beside me.

"Fine, I will let it pass this time, but keep her in line, Axel. Insubordination will not be tolerated" said Saïx, and the three of them left, leaving Axel and I standing there.

"Thanks for that" I said quietly once they were gone.

"No sweat. Just… don't do that again, okay?" said Axel lightly as he scratched his head.

* * *

Waking up the next morning in my castle room, I looked up at the ceiling whilst sorting through my thoughts. Sora should be fine now. The Organization would make sure of that. It seemed like they had scared off Maleficent for now anyway. At least I hoped that was the case. I got up from the bed, and headed for the common room.

Arriving through the alcove, I was about to walk toward Saïx when a familiar voice beckoned.

"Morning, Megan" said Axel to my right.

I turned toward him. He was leaned up against the wall by the side of the alcove. He pushed off it, and walked toward me.

"Mission's with me today" he said calmly. I grinned.

"Got stuck with me today after the events of yesterday?" I teased. His face changed to surprise, and looked like he was going to taunt me.

"Maybe. Maybe we just got paired up for the heck of it…" he said nonchalantly, looking up at the ceiling, trying to act cool. I giggled. He gave up. "Alright, enough of that. Let's go…".

He opened a portal, lightly ushering me toward it.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" I said, laughing.

We entered the portal. Coming out on the other side, we were in the middle of a desert. There was sand as far as the eye could see. Off in the distance, I could see the outline of what looked like Agrabah.

"Why are we so far away from the town?" I asked Axel.

"Mission's not in the town" he replied. "Today we're going to the Cave of Wonders. It's supposed to be somewhere out here". He looked around. "Today's mission isn't just heart collection. There's apparently some big bad Heartless in there. We're to take it out in addition to the usual. Got it?".

"Got it" I said, beginning to sweat. "Man, it's always so hot here…".

"You're telling me" he replied. "You get used to it after a while though".

With that, we began walking across the sandy dunes. Ten minutes later, we were both beginning to hunch over from climbing in such extreme heat.

"Don't suppose… you have a map?" I said, breathing heavily now.

"Nope… it's… around here… somewhere…" Axel replied. "Marluxia's been here before… said it wasn't far".

"And you… trust him? I'd… trust that guy… about as far as… I could throw him…" I said.

Axel grinned, and then tried to catch his breath again, but failed. He began coughing.

"Don't… make me laugh right now" he said. I almost laughed, and began coughing as well, trying to catch my breath.

Just as we came up the next dune, we saw it. A giant blue tiger head was protruding out of the sand in a clearing at the bottom of the dune we were on. We headed toward it. Its' mouth was open with a golden light emanating from within.

Coming within a few steps in front of it, we stopped. I admired the light illuminating the entranceway.

"That thing's… not gonna close on us, is it?" I asked nervously. I wasn't out of breath anymore. For some reason, the clearing was a lot cooler than the rest of the desert.

"Shouldn't, but let's not dilly-dally here any longer than we have to" said Axel.

I proceeded to walk through the tigers' mouth. It was strange walking into it, and over the tongue. Wasn't as squishy as I would've expected. In fact, it was just as solid as the stairs at the back. Nerve-wracking part over, we proceeded down the long staircase, and into the depths of the cavern.

There were gold and jewels EVERYWHERE. Piles upon piles of it stacked up against the walls, some of them reaching all the way to the torches near the ceiling. I looked around in awe. It was just like the game, and the movie.

"Alright, enough sightseeing. We've got a job to do" said Axel, breaking me out of my trance.

We walked forward a few paces, when a whole horde of Heartless appeared. A whole mix of Scarlet Tangos, among other flying varieties, and some Pot Spiders appeared in front of us.

"Time to get to work!" yelled Axel encouragingly, surveying the large group.

I grinned, summoning my Keyblade.

"Haaah!" I yelled as I ran at the first one.

Taking it down in a few swipes, I turned to attack the ones around it. I slashed here and there, and all around. Hearts floated up around me.

"THUNDER!" I yelled, thrusting my Keyblade straight up above me. Sparks came flying down all around, taking out every Heartless within five feet of me.

"Nice one, Megs!" yelled Axel from afar. I turned to look at him, a mix of surprise and challenge on my face.

"You did NOT just give me a nickname!" I yelled back, flailing my arms at him. A grin crossed his face.

Looking behind me with concern a moment later, he quickly summoned his chakrams, sending one flying within a few feet of my right side. It took out a Heartless that was directly behind me, and returned to him. He smirked.

"You missed one!" he teased.

"I would've got it!" I yelled back, pouting.

He came forward to join me, and we continued on through the cavern. Coming to a large open area a while later, it was eerily quiet. Axel and I looked around the room from the entrance. The ceiling must've been fifty feet high. There were platforms of varying heights around the room.

A dark presence began forming in the middle of the area. It came out of a puddle the size of the tiger head at the entrance. It looked like a winged Darkside. A little smaller though, with horns and a sword. An Invisible?!

Before we even had the chance to summon our weapons, it came at us, sword first, with lightning speed. Axel and I jumped opposite ways to avoid the attack.

"What the heck's one of those things doing here?!" I yelled toward Axel. I couldn't remember ever seeing one of them in the Cave of Wonders.

"No idea. But that's our mission. We've gotta take it out. Get ready!" he yelled back, summoning his chakrams.

I summoned my Keyblade, jumping to the right just in time, before the Invisible impaled me with its' sword. I was breathing heavily, the adrenaline kicking in. Its' sword had connected with the ground instead of me, and was stuck temporarily. Taking my chance, I ran at it.

"Haaah!" I yelled as I came in to slash at it.

I got in a few shots before it managed to get its' sword out of the ground and take a slash at me. Jumping back, it narrowly missed my torso. In the next moment, Axel's chakrams came flying in, striking it from behind in opposite circle motions before returning to him. The Invisible slumped forward, temporarily weakened.

"Now Megan! While it's down!" Axel yelled from behind it.

"Right!" I yelled back.

I ran straight at it, plunging my Keyblade straight through the middle of its' chest. It lifted its' head up slightly before dispersing into a cloud of darkness, releasing a captive heart. I took a breath, using my Keyblade to prop myself up. The adrenaline was leaving me.

"Alright, mission accomplished!" announced Axel. "Nice one, Megan. Ice cream's on me today!".

I stood up, smiling. I was happy the battle was over. Those things moved with lightning speed. It had been hard just dodging its' attacks! Axel opened a portal, and we walked through, my legs protesting all the jumping I had done.

After picking up sticks of sea-salt ice cream at the shop, we headed up the clock tower. I was happy to see Roxas sitting there when we arrived. It had felt like a while since we had had ice cream together. Sitting on his right, he smiled at me, and I smiled back. Axel sat on his left.

"How long's it been since we had ice cream last?" I asked.

"Since the whole Maleficent fiasco, I think" said Axel. I looked over at him.

"Hey, Megan" began Roxas. "Is it true you summoned a portal yesterday?". His curious blue eyes looked at me.

"Uh… yeah. It seems so" I said, half-smiling, scratching the side of my face with my index finger. "But it was a total fluke. I haven't been able to create one since".

"Yeah, Megs here decided to go to Hollow Bastion on her own" said Axel teasingly.

"Hey! What did I say about nicknames!" I pouted at him, and then sighed. "I only went to warn Sora about Maleficent's plans for him. I didn't think about it as escaping; I knew you guys would track me down anyway".

"That's quite the accomplishment though" said Roxas. "It takes a lot of practice to create a portal, and you up and did it out of nowhere!".

"Like I told Saïx, I have no idea how it happened" I began. "After Axel left me in my room, it just sort of appeared when my hand was on the wall. Pretty sure he's gonna keep a close watch on me now".

"You're probably right about that" said Axel.

There was a brief silence as we all munched on our ice cream.

" 'Megs', huh?" said Roxas. I looked at him. He looked at me and grinned.

"Don't you start!" I said to him.

They both laughed.

* * *

This does NOT give you all permission to call me Megs! I'm warning you! ! !

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	25. Chapter 24 - Confusion

Hey everyone!

This story got over 2000 views in the month of July! That's incredible! Thanks so much!

What will happen next in the story? You'll just have to read on to find out...

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 24 - Confusion**

I woke up in the bed in my castle room. As I opened my eyes, I saw a figure standing by the right side of the bed near the door. As my vision cleared, and they came into focus, I jumped slightly, and immediately became tense; it was Xemnas standing there.

"Good morning, Megan" he said.

I was still tense, but relaxed a bit. Sitting up, I positioned my back against the headboard, and looked at him.

"What do you really want with me?" I asked. He looked at me with interest. "I know you're not just holding me here because I know the Organization's secrets".

"You are correct" he said calmly. "In truth, your power is of great value to us, but not for the reasons you are likely to assume".

"What do you mean?" I asked sternly.

"You have the ability to defeat DiZ" he replied. I took a double-take, surprised.

"What does he have to do with this?" I asked.

"You and I both know his true identity" he began. I looked at him, recognition on my face. He continued, "He sees us as his failure to stop the experiments of the heart. He does not believe that we have the right to exist, and seeks our destruction".

I remembered what DiZ had said about Roxas in the game: 'A Nobody doesn't have a right to know, nor does it even have the right to be'.

"We are merely trying to survive" he finished.

I contemplated, looking down for a moment.

"Why do you think he has kept you in the dark your whole life? Never told you about your powers? You are a danger to him as much as we are" he added.

My eyes went wide. I looked at Xemnas; he was looking straight at me.

"Will Kingdom Hearts really give everyone in the Organization hearts?" I asked him. It was something I had wanted to know the real answer to for a while, because it had been destroyed before completion in the game.

"Yes" he replied simply.

That made me feel better about what I was doing for them. I wasn't sure if I could trust him, but I wasn't sure if I could trust DiZ anymore either. After learning that he had suppressed a part of me, I had become unsure of his true objectives. If what Xemnas was saying was true, DiZ planned to take out every Nobody out there, including Roxas and Axel, and I didn't want that. Even in the games, he had always been very secretive. Roxas and Axel may be Nobodies, but that didn't mean they didn't have a right to exist in my mind. And now that I had become aware of my powers, what was his plan for me?

* * *

On my way to the common room, my mind wandered in every conceivable direction about what Xemnas had said. Why _did_ DiZ keep me in the dark my whole life? Why would he suppress a part of me? I was beginning to wonder…

Arriving in the common room a little later, I walked toward Saïx to receive my mission. He looked at his clipboard as I stopped in front of him.

"Megan, today you will be on-mission with Demyx" he said emotionlessly as usual.

"Hey! Megan!" I heard Demyx say, walking up behind me. I turned around to face him. "Looks like we're teamed up today!". He had a huge smile across his face. _Great,_ I thought. _He's just gonna sit back while I do all the work on today's mission…_ "You ready to go?".

"I guess so…" I sighed.

"Alrighty!" he replied, and turned to open a portal. A moment later, we walked through the swirling mass that had appeared.

Coming out on the other side, we arrived in Halloween Town. It was dark, and everything was decorated in orange and black. There were a few buildings scattered here and there. There was no one around, but we heard laughter in the distance.

"Alright, let's head out" said Demyx, a little more subdued now. "I've heard the locals here have a few troublemakers among them".

I knew he was talking about Lock, Shock, and Barrel. I had seen them too many times in the games, and also on my last visit with Lexaeus. They were always up to no good. I didn't want to appear on their radar, and it seems neither did Demyx.

We began to walk up the path through the town. Was there never anyone around? Was it night and I didn't realize it? It seemed in a lot of the worlds we visited, it was always a ghost town… A group of Soldiers appeared on the path in front of us.

"You're up, Megan!" said Demyx beside me. He crossed his arms, and yawned as I summoned my Keyblade and ran at the Heartless.

Taking them out in a few slashes, I dismissed my Keyblade, and looked back at him. He clapped, smiling, and walked up to join me. He was clearly happy to have slave labour for today's mission. It meant he didn't have to work very much.

"So, word around the castle is that you've got a nickname" said Demyx. He paused and grinned. "Megs".

"For the love of…! Axel is so DEAD" I said, frustrated. "How did you find out?!".

"Oh, I hear things…" he began nonchalantly. "If I've heard it, won't be long before the whole castle knows…".

We continued up the path, not coming across any other groups of Heartless in town. As we came to the outskirts, the moon shone overhead off the hills. We came to a large open area with a hill that came to a tip and curved in on itself. It looked like the area I had been to with Lexaeus previously.

Demyx and I walked around the initial hills, and came out into the open area under the curved hill. It was an expanse of dirt that had been well trampled. Just as we began to cross it, a large presence began to form in front of us. A pair of large wings came out first, followed by a tail and legs that lifted off the ground. It was a Windstorm.

Its' head lifted and screeched at us, sending a blast of wind our way. Demyx and I both lifted our arms in front of our faces. Once the force of the wind died down, I looked over one arm. The Windstorm was up in the air, flapping its' wings, it's gaze focused on us.

"Ugh… guess I gotta help out with this one…" Demyx sighed.

"Gee, sound a little more enthusiastic… You haven't had to lift a finger yet!" I yelled at him sarcastically.

"That's because it's hard work!" he protested, pouting. He summoned his sitar.

The Windstorm came straight at us, aiming its' beak to attack head on. Demyx and I leaped to the right, and came up with a game plan.

"Alright, I'll attack from here to distract it, while you go at it head on" said Demyx.

"Sounds good to me" I replied, summoning my Keyblade, and running toward it.

"Dance, water, dance!" I heard Demyx yell behind me.

Demyx' water attack hit it just before I reached it. It fell back slightly just as I came in for an attack. Slashing at its' legs a few times, it rebounded forward, and focused its' attention on me.

"Uh oh" I muttered, and jumped back a few paces, just as its' tail came around.

It wasn't far enough. Its' tail came around, and hit me straight in the torso.

"Ngh!" I grunted as it sent me flying to the other side of the area.

"Megan!" I heard Demyx yell.

I landed hard on my side, my right arm underneath me. A golden glow enveloped me, and gave me renewed strength. Pushing myself up, I got back up to a standing position, my Keyblade still in hand. I huffed, and ran toward the Heartless at full speed.

"Haaaaaaah!" I yelled as I ran toward it.

It was distracted by water attacks from Demyx as I came rushing toward it. It didn't see me come at it until it was too late. I plunged my Keyblade straight into its' side. It dispersed into a cloud of darkness, and released a heart that floated up into the sky.

Immediately after it had dispersed, a blast of water came straight at where it had been; where I was now standing. It hit me, completely drenching me in water.

"DEMYX!" I yelled, slightly agitated. I turned in his direction, water dripping from my hair and everywhere else. He looked completely terrified. "Do you WANT me to throw a ball of darkness at you?!".

"Ahh! Don't hurt me!" he said desperately, cowering, and holding his sitar in front of him in defence.

I couldn't keep a serious face anymore, seeing him like that. I snorted, and burst out into full on laughter. Demyx came out of his defensive position, straightening up.

"How did a wimp like you get into Organization XIII?!" I said, laughing so hard I was crying. I was bent over holding my stomach from laughing so hard.

"I've lost all confidence as a man…" said Demyx quietly.

He looked at me, dumbfounded, as I composed myself. I looked at him, putting on a smile.

"I'm sorry" I said, trying to hold back from laughing again. "Your face was priceless".

"Alright, alright. Mission accomplished" he said finally, and opened a portal.

I walked past him, and into the portal, sopping wet from the water he had thrown at me. We came out near the alcove in the common area of the castle, the portal closing behind us. I was dripping all over the floor. Demyx looked a little concerned seeing the mess.

Axel came walking up to us, seeing how drenched I was.

"Hey Megs, what happened?" he asked me. I was too drenched to care that he had used my nickname.

"You'll have to talk to Demyx about that…" I replied. He gave Demyx a look.

"Demyx, mind explaining why Megan's drenched in water? You're the only one around here with that power" he said interrogatively.

"It was an accident, I swear!" said Demyx desperately, waving his hands in front of him.

"Better clear out before I 'accidentally' set your coat on fire" Axel replied.

That was all he needed to say. Demyx quickly walked off.

"C'mon" Axel said to me. "You'll dry off faster in Twilight Town".

We walked over to a corner in the room, and he opened a portal. Just as we were walking toward it, Larxene walked in the alcove behind us and slipped on a puddle that had formed from me dripping everywhere.

"Who left water all over the floor?!" she yelled in frustration, getting up carefully. "DEMYX!".

"It wasn't me, I swear!" I heard Demyx yell desperately from another part of the room.

"Time to go!" Axel said quietly and urgently to me. We quickly walked through the portal.

Arriving to a warm day in Twilight Town, the sun beat down on my wet coat. Already, I was feeling less drenched. As we walked down the street, a slight warm breeze hastened the drying process even more. By the time we got to the ice cream shop, I was completely dry.

"The usual?" said the shop lady.

"Yes, please!" said Axel cordially.

He paid for the ice cream with some munny, and the lady handed him a bag with some single serve ice creams in return. He turned around to face me as he finished putting everything away. I had never noticed it before, but Axel was actually a really nice guy. He acted all tough and bravado at the castle and with Roxas and I, but I had seen a different side of him just now. Surprise must've shown on my face, as Axel looked at me with concern.

"Everything okay?" he asked in his usual quizzical voice.

"Oh.. y-yeah!" I said quickly, snapping out of it.

We walked through the streets, heading for the clock tower. My mind wandered. I thought about what Xemnas had said this morning. About how I was the only one who could defeat DiZ, and why he had kept so much from me. I began to wonder.

Were the Organization really the bad guys? I could tell Axel and Roxas weren't, and was beginning to see a different side of some of the others as well. Demyx and Zexion… even Lexaeus. I would never trust Marluxia, and Larxene was kind of scary. Xemnas and Saïx up at the top were definitely not to be trusted either.

But… did that mean that none of them had a right to exist? The true purpose of the Organization in the game was to be as vessels for Xehanort's thirteen darknesses. But if Xemnas was still around, didn't that mean that Xehanort couldn't return? And would things even go in that direction in this version of events? Was DiZ the real enemy here?

We came to the stairs of the clock tower building, and began climbing them. Coming to the top, I saw Roxas already sitting there, munching on his ice cream, and looking out at the sunset. I put my thoughts away for now. Something to ruminate.

"Hey guys!" he said cheerfully, noticing us coming around to sit.

After we took our places, Axel passed my ice cream to Roxas, who passed it on to me. I opened it up, and took a bite. We sat there quietly looking out at the sunset of Twilight Town. I could never get bored of it. It was a beautiful view.

Then I remembered something.

"Alright, which one of you spilled my nickname?" I said challengingly. "Somehow Demyx found out".

They both looked over at me with surprised looks on their faces. But they quickly changed to grins.

"What?" I asked.

They looked at each other before Roxas responded.

"We told the whole castle" he said, still grinning.

"You did what?!" I exclaimed.

* * *

Ahaha. The nickname never ends lol.

Hope you enjoyed!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	26. Chapter 25 - A Desperate Situation

Hi again, everyone!

Lots of excitement in this chapter! Not gonna spoil it for you though!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 25 – A Desperate Situation**

"Megan will soon become loyal to us" said Xemnas from his throne.

"She still holds hope of a rescue from her protectors" said Saïx.

"I have planted a seed of doubt in her mind. She will never trust the one called DiZ again…" said Xemnas.

"I see…" said Saïx, grinning evilly.

"You plan to turn her on her protectors" said Xigbar, understanding.

"Precisely" said Xemnas.

* * *

It had been three months. Three months since I had been brought here, and I was more confused than ever. Who could I trust? I didn't know anymore.

I didn't want to believe what Xemnas had told me, but it made sense. Why _would_ DiZ keep me in the dark about my powers? And why had he supressed my darkness? What other reason could there be? I didn't know how I had come to have these powers, but I did know how to use them now.

DiZ believed Nobodies didn't have a right to exist. I believed otherwise. Not all Nobodies were bad. Since being amongst the members of the Organization, I had seen a good side to some of them. Some I would never come to trust, but did that mean they should all be treated the same?

Xemnas said they're only trying to survive. Completing Kingdom Hearts would help them become complete people. Everyone here seemed so devoted to that goal. And I really believed that was a good thing. Something still bothered me though.

I could tell Xemnas was hiding something from me, but I didn't know what. I believed that they were really trying to get hearts of their own, but I had a feeling that wasn't his only agenda. Xemnas always had secrets. He was Xehanort's Nobody, and that man always had many plans…

Getting up from the bed, I headed for the common area. On arrival, I was surprised to see Vexen standing by Saïx. I walked toward them.

"Vexen?" I said as I came up to them. "I don't think I've ever seen you topside…".

"Yes, well, on occasion I am required to go out on missions" he replied proudly. I looked at Saïx.

"Megan, your mission today will be with Vexen" he said.

"Okay…" I replied, and looked back at Vexen. "Shall we head out…?".

It was a little awkward interacting with him. I had only ever seen him in his dimly lit lab, and the conversations had been short. He had a bit of an eccentric personality.

"Certainly. Let us depart" he replied.

He turned and opened a portal, holding him arm out to indicate that I go through first. I looked at him curiously as I walked by, but his face was unreadable. He looked bored, but at the same time like he was off in his thoughts concocting his next experiment. It made me a bit nervous. I walked through the portal.

Arriving on the other side, we came out in a dark area with blue flames all around. Behind us was a golden pathway leading up, and in front of us a large door with blue swirls.

"Where are we?" I asked Vexen as he came up beside me.

"Welcome to the Underworld, Megan" he replied.

I gulped. Figures. The mission HAD to be in a dark place. It fit well with Vexen's usual hangout.

"Okay… what are we doing here?" I said.

"There is a large Heartless within that we are tasked to eliminate" he replied simply.

"Won't Hades be a _little_ agitated if we just start waltzing around his underworld?" I asked. Vexen looked at me.

" _That_ is where the art of being covert comes in" he stated. "We do not draw attention to ourselves, and move about without attracting attention. Come".

He walked toward the large door. I followed hesitantly. He pushed it open, revealing yet another chamber shrouded in darkness. There was nothing but faint blue flames lighting the area from high up on the cave walls, and a mist covering the ground. _I don't like this…,_ I thought. Vexen walked in. I followed slowly behind.

Heartless appeared in the middle of the cavern. A bunch of Creeper Plants. I summoned my Keyblade, happy to have a distraction in this place, and ran at them. They fired off a bunch of seeds straight at me.

"Wah!" I shrieked, narrowly avoiding them. I almost lost my balance.

Once the barrage of seeds was over, I managed to get in and take out a few of them out. Not all though. I turned around to see the rest of the group a short distance to my left. Before I had a chance to move toward them, vines grew at my feet, and pinned them there.

"Agh! What the heck?!" I said, looking down at my feet.

I tried loosening the vines with my hands, but they wouldn't budge. I struggled, trying to pull my feet out, but they wouldn't move. A barrage of seeds came flying in my direction. I ducked just in time, only a few of them grazing me.

I had to think fast; I was a sitting duck here as long as my legs were stuck. Magic. I had to use magic to get the vines off. But I had never cast a fire spell so close to myself. Here goes…

I pointed my Keyblade at the vines between my feet, and yelled "Fire!". The flames spread across my feet, causing slight heat, but nothing I couldn't handle. All the vines were reduced to ashes, allowing me to move again. Just in time, too.

Another barrage of seeds came flying at me a moment later. I jumped out of the way, and aimed my Keyblade at the remaining plants. "Fire!" I yelled. The spell enveloped the remaining group; they're captive hearts being released. I took a breather.

"An interesting approach" said Vexen, coming up behind me. "Fire sets the vines ablaze, cascading the effect. You are well-versed in magic, I see". Right. This was his first time seeing me fight.

"Yeah, Axel taught me" I said. "It's quite the useful tool in a pinch".

We continued on through the passageways. We went through a few more caves before coming to a large cavernous area. There was a slim walkway in the centre; the ceiling went further than the eye could see. Below was some kind of green lava.

A few more plants appeared on some of the platforms between the thin passageways as we crossed. I took them out without issue this time, casting fire from a distance.

* * *

"That'd be the one I told you about" said Pete. He was standing on a ledge with Hades high up in a cavern where a couple of people in black coats were crossing thin passageways.

"Hmm… she does have a different sort of… smell, doesn't she…" pondered Hades beside him.

"Yup, I told ya so" said Pete. "Even Maleficent saw 'er true power".

"Do _not_ treat me the same as that imbecile witch! I am lord of the Underworld!" said Hades angrily, his hair becoming red.

Pete immediately cowered, holding his hands in front of his face.

"Sorry! Sorry! Didn't mean to offend!" he said behind his defence.

Hades cooled down to blue again. He looked down at the figure fighting Heartless below, and scratched his chin.

"An interesting development… Let's see what you can _really_ do" he said, a sly grin crossing his face.

* * *

Vexen and I came to the final platform after crossing the many thin walkways. We entered the alcove in front of us. The room opened up into a large circular area. The ceiling was about fifty feet high, and the cave walls came inward to meet it in a dome formation. There were some landings up high on the wall.

As we walked across the area toward the opening on the other side, we heard what sounded like echoes. Nothing we could make out. We didn't know if they were voices, or Heartless. Just as they stopped, a massive amount of Heartless appeared around me. Vexen had been walking a little further behind, and was on the opposite side of the wall of Heartless. I could barely see him over the sheer amount of them.

Gritting my teeth, I summoned my Keyblade.

"Where did all of you come from?!" I said in frustration.

I knew it was a bad idea going into the Underworld. Around me there were now Creeper Plants, Crescendos, Tornado Steps, a mix of flying Heartless, and even Large Bodies. It was like when Sora had been surrounded in the Heartless War, but in a cave. There were too many to count!

"Haaaah!" I yelled as I ran at the first one, my Keyblade poised to attack.

I took one out, and then another, and then another. There seemed to be no end to them! I turned around and took a few more out on the other side. They just kept coming!

Just as I took out a Crescendo, vines grabbed one of my legs. I quickly shot a fire spell at it, getting free. I had stood in one place for too long though. One of the Tornado Step's spun right into me, sending me across the cavern, and back to the middle of the gathering around me.

"Ngh!" I grimaced as I landed hard on my back. A golden glow revitalized me, as I got back up.

I ran at more Heartless, taking out a few, but there were hordes of them. More Tornado Steps attacked me from behind with their spinning attacks, sending me flying into the middle once again. I landed in a crouched position this time, and leaped back at the group. Taking out some flying Heartless, the Large Bodies came forward. One of them used its torso as a battering ram to bounce me far back.

"Agh!" I said as I landed on my back again, sliding few feet from the force of the impact.

I had grazes on my forearms, and had one of my eyes squeezed shut. Opening it, I looked at the onslaught of Heartless around me. They were advancing. I was completely out of strength, and the grazes on my arms weren't disappearing. Where was the golden glow that gave me strength? It wasn't coming.

"Alright…" I muttered to myself weakly as I got up, breathing heavily. "You wanna see what I've got?".

There was no choice. It was time to call on the darkness. I dismissed my Keyblade, and then thrust my arms out to the sides.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled.

A purple and green glow enveloped my body, and beams of light and darkness began flying in all directions, emanating from my body. They took out every Heartless in sight, bouncing off the cave walls and coming back for more. The surrounding hordes were quickly diminished in number. They became less and less, until only a few remained. And those were taken out by the beams coming in for a final hit, before disappearing. All the Heartless had been defeated, their captive hearts released.

The glow around my body disappeared, and my hands fell back to my sides. I immediately fell to my knees, my legs having no strength to support me, before falling over completely on my side to lay on the cave floor. I saw a look of complete astonishment on Vexen's face as he stood at the other side of the cavern, just as I lost consciousness.

* * *

"Megan has a new ability" said Vexen from his throne.

"What kind of ability?" said Xemnas slowly.

"I've never seen anything like it. She used the power of light and darkness simultaneously" Vexen mused.

Xemnas smiled evilly.

"Her true powers are beginning to awaken…" he said. "Where is she now?".

"Resting in her room. She passed out after unleashing the attack. It must've been too much for her body to handle" Vexen replied.

* * *

 _"The darkness will not hesitate to take you over at the first sign of weakness" said Riku._

 _"Give in to it Megan. Give in!" said Ansem._

I woke up with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed, and breathing heavily.

"Woah, Megan!" said Roxas. "Relax, it's okay. You're back at the castle".

I looked over at him. He was standing by the door side of the bed; Axel was beside him. I calmed my breathing, and looked around the room. Axel and Roxas were the only ones there.

"Something wrong?" asked Roxas, sounding worried. I looked at him.

"No, it's nothing" I said. "How did I get here?".

"You were unconscious when Vexen brought you back from the mission" Axel said. "He brought you here".

It was all coming back now. I had used the attack that had come out when Maleficent brought out my darkness. Everything went dark after that.

"How long was I out?" I asked them.

"A few hours" said Axel.

"That long?!" I exclaimed. They looked at me seriously.

"Vexen wouldn't speak to anyone after he got back" began Axel seriously. "After he dropped you off here, he quickly disappeared without a word". He paused. "What happened out there?".

I looked down at the bed.

"I was surrounded by hordes of Heartless, too many to count. I wasn't getting anywhere with my Keyblade; they were relentless, knocking me down again and again. I had no choice but to use the power of darkness to take them out" I said. "I used a really powerful ability. Something that I learned when Maleficent brought out the darkness within me at her castle".

I looked up at them. Axel's expression was solemn, and Roxas looked worried. I tried to lighten the mood.

"Hey, you guys! Don't look so depressed! I'm fine!" I said. "Just needed a catnap!".

I moved my feet over to the side of the bed, and went to get up, but Axel stopped me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"You need to rest" he said to me.

I went to protest, but the serious look on his face squashed any argument that came to my mind.

"Alright, fine…" I said finally, defeated.

He backed away from me, standing up straight. His face changed to a cheerful expression.

"Don't worry, the ice cream'll still be there tomorrow!" he said, trying to cheer me up.

I smiled weakly at him.

"We'll see you later, Megan!" said Roxas, happy now.

I waved as they walked out the door, closing it behind them, and then let myself fall horizontally across the bed. Things were getting complicated.

* * *

The plot thickens...

Hope you enjoyed it!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	27. Chapter 26 - Awakening Powers

Hey everyone!

Oh my gosh. I had MAJOR writer's block on this one. I had the parts from the outline written out, but was having trouble filling in the parts in between. But it's done now!

Anyways... enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 26 – Awakening Powers**

"Is the jamming device ready?" said DiZ.

"Yes. It should be operational shortly" said Riku.

"Good. We will soon be able to get her out of there" said DiZ. "Take care of it".

"Understood" said Riku.

* * *

I opened my eyes, and looked up at the ceiling. Something dark caught my eye. Still in a daze, I sat up and looked around the room. Small, black figures looked back at me from around the bed.

"Waaah!" I shrieked, backing up toward the headboard. There were Shadow Heartless surrounding the bed.

Summoning my Keyblade out of instinct, I slashed at them, and they disappeared, releasing hearts. Now breathing heavily from the sudden adrenaline rush, I swung my feet around to the window side of the bed, and stood up. Cautiously walking around to the foot of the bed, I checked to see if there were anymore, and breathed a sigh of relief when there were none. Dismissing my Keyblade, I took a breath. _What the heck was that?!_ I thought.

Just as the Keyblade disappeared from my hand, five more Shadow Heartless appeared out of the darkness in a semi-circle in front of me. I gasped in fear, and fell over backwards, scrambling to get to a seated position. Backing toward the wall under the window, I hit it, and looked at the Heartless in complete terror. They were advancing toward me.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed as loud as I could.

A moment later, Saïx came bursting through the door. Holding his clipboard by his side, he looked at the Heartless, and then at my fearful face.

"They… just keep coming!" I said, looking up at him desperately. He looked at me carefully.

"Calm yourself. Your dark powers are heavily controlled by your emotions" he said carefully.

I looked at him, and then at the Heartless, and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push out all the fear I was feeling. Taking a breath, and relaxing slightly, I opened my eyes. Sure enough, the Heartless began to disappear back into the darkness in front of me. I looked up at Saïx in surprise.

"The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest" he said. "It would seem they have recognized your power".

I looked at him in confusion at first, but quickly changed to desperation.

"Saïx… what's happening to me?!" I asked him. "I know you know!".

He studied his clipboard for a moment before looking back at me and responding.

"The power hidden deep within you is awakening" he said.

I looked at him wide-eyed, still in shock.

"Your powers are growing faster than expected" he said. He then looked down, and made an adjustment with the pen on his clipboard. "I'm changing your mission for today. You will go with Xaldin to Beasts' Castle. He will teach you how to control this new power".

I stared at him blankly, shock still evident on my face. He looked back at me, emotionless as usual, and then turned to leave.

"Come to the common area once you have your emotions under control" he said, and walked out the door.

Once he had left, I took a huge breath. Most of the tension and anxiety I felt released, and I took a moment to absorb everything that had just happened. _Was Saïx actually just_ nice _to me?_ I thought. I looked down at the ground as I sat there, my eyes still wide from the ordeal. The Heartless… had recognized _my_ power?

What was going on? What did he mean by the power hidden deep within me? Did it have something to do with the supressed power Maleficent had spoken about? What kind of a power was it?

I could control Heartless now? That was a weird thought. It was a scary thought, really. How had this come about? I didn't know.

My breathing had returned to normal. I stood up, pushing off from the wall I had been sat leaning up against, and turned to look out the window. Kingdom Hearts floated brightly in the sky. It had gotten larger since I'd been here. What we were doing was making a difference. I turned, and headed for the door.

Arriving through the alcove a short while later, I walked toward Saïx. He was standing in his usual spot, waiting with a clipboard to assign missions. As I approached him, he looked up at me. His face showed no emotion as usual. Nothing to indicate the events of ten minutes ago.

A few moments later, he looked past me and nodded. I turned around to see who he was looking at. Xaldin had entered the room, and was making his way toward me. He had a cruel smirk on his face as he approached.

"Megan, it has been a while" he said.

 _Not long enough,_ I thought. The most cruel member of the Organization had left a scar on me from our last mission. I nodded at him, unsure of what to say after our last encounter. I wasn't sure what to expect from him. He made me nervous.

He opened a portal, motioning for me to go first. I walked through. As we arrived on the bridge at Beasts' Castle, I looked around at the familiar fog-laden walkway. I couldn't see any further than halfway across the bridge. I turned to Xaldin once the portal had closed.

"Saïx told me you're going to show me how to control the Heartless. You're not going to… attack me again, are you?" I asked nervously.

"As amusing as that would be, fear is not the right tool in this instance" he replied.

He walked a few paces away, to the opposite side of the bridge, and turned around to face me.

"Now" he said. "I'm told that you called forth Heartless in your room this morning. Are you able to summon them again?".

 _More like woke up to them…_ I thought.

"I don't know" I said. "I don't know how they got there in the first place…".

"Concentrate on bringing them here" he said.

I looked at him, and then at the ground. _Heartless, come?_ I thought. Nothing happened. I darted my eyes back at Xaldin for a second before looking back at the ground where I was trying to get the Heartless to appear. I concentrated, my face contorting, but nothing happened.

"Perhaps you need an incentive…" said Xaldin contemplatively, but also cruelly.

I looked up at him. In the next moment, he summoned his lances around him. I took a step back, cautiously watching him, my face becoming serious. I had only a second before he thrust one at me, which I narrowly avoided by jumping to the right, and landing in a crouched position. The adrenaline began to flow. Looking up at him, I saw that he was still smirking.

"Come now, Megan. Reach out with your power" he said tauntingly.

 _What the heck happened to not attacking me?!_ I thought. I looked at him with an annoyed face, which slowly changed to anger. Standing up, I glared at him. That was all it took. Three Shadow Heartless appeared directly in front of me, facing Xaldin.

"Waahaaah…" I said nervously, backing away from them.

Their close appearance had startled me. I took a few steps back, getting a little distance. Just as I did, they turned around. Apparently, they were more interested in me than Xaldin. I held my arms back defensively, not sure how to handle this situation.

"Good" said Xaldin, sounding pleased. "Now control them".

I looked up at him.

"How do I do that?!" I said incredulously.

"You must demand their obedience. Otherwise, they will walk all over you" he said calmly.

I looked down at the Shadow Heartless a short distance in front of me. They weren't advancing, but were looking straight in my direction. _Control them…_ I thought. I remembered how Saïx had controlled the Heartless and Nobodies during the encounter with Sora at Hollow Bastion. He hadn't said a word. Maybe it was more like willpower.

I looked at the Heartless, and mentally willed them to turn around. At first, they didn't do anything. I tried again, this time putting a little more forcefulness behind it, like issuing an order. To my surprise, they turned around to face Xaldin.

No sooner had they switched direction, then Xaldin eradicated them with his lances. I didn't even have time to celebrate the accomplishment. Looking up at him in disbelief, he smirked.

"A good start. Now do it again" he said, a little impatiently this time.

"Hmph" I sighed, annoyed at him.

I focused my energy once again on summoning more Heartless, this time with more of a commanding intent. Three more Shadow Heartless appeared out of the darkness, facing Xaldin across from me. I concentrated, willing them to walk toward him. They began moving in his direction, crawling across the ground like shadows.

Just as they reached the halfway point, I saw Xaldin move to attack again. I mentally willed an order for the Heartless to jump out of the way. Xaldin sent all of his lances at them, but just before they hit, the Shadows leaped in opposite directions. Two went to the right, the other to the left. The lances connected with the stone ground where they had just been, and stayed there, sticking up in diagonal formations.

I grinned. It was a small victory. Xaldin seemed mildly impressed. His expression only changed for a moment before returning to a cruel smirk. He summoned the lances back around him.

"This is hardly the time to celebrate" he said coldly, seeing my face. "We're just getting started". He paused. "You seem to have mastered movement; now let's see if you can make them attack".

My face changed to one of determination. The Heartless were still standing between us, awaiting further orders. I stepped forward, thrust my left arm out in front of me the same as Saïx had before, and mentally sent them an order to attack Xaldin. They moved forward a bit, but that was all. My arm fell. _What am I doing wrong?_ I thought. There must've been more to it.

"Try again" said Xaldin.

I looked at the Heartless. I had gotten them to move. What was different about attacking? Did it require more control?

Just then, Xaldin sent one of his lances at the lone Heartless. It went right through it, causing it to disappear in a flurry of darkness. I huffed. That was the last Heartless he was going to destroy. I thrust my hand forward again, agitated that he had destroyed another of my Heartless, and ordered the two remaining to attack him.

It worked. The two standing together leaped straight at Xaldin. He merely grinned, casting a gust of wind with his lances. The Heartless were destroyed before they could even get close.

My arm came back down to my side, and I sighed heavily, looking down at the ground. I was mentally exhausted.

"That is enough for today" said Xaldin. He paused. "You have grown much since our last mission" he continued contemplatively. "Your command of the Heartless in such a short time is impressive. I look forward to seeing what else you can do".

I looked up at him. He gave his usual evil grin.

"Come. Let us return to the castle" he said.

He reached out his arm to the side, and opened a portal. I walked through it, and came out back in the common room. Xaldin came through shortly after, coming to stand beside me for a moment, before walking off. I was left to my own devices. Looking around the room briefly, seeing neither Roxas nor Axel yet, I looked for somewhere to sit.

Finding an empty set of couches, I sat down and looked around the room. Demyx was at another set gently strumming his sitar, and there were a few others scattered here and there on their own.

"Hey" I heard Axel say beside me a few moments later.

I looked up at him. He had come up beside the couch I was sitting on.

"Ready for some ice cream?" he asked cheerfully.

"Boy, am I ever" I said.

Axel opened a portal, and we both walked through. Ascending the clock tower after getting ice cream, I noticed that Roxas wasn't there yet. Axel and I sat in our usual spots. He handed me a stick of sea-salt ice cream. I took a bite out of it before speaking.

"Why is Saïx always so angry every time I end up somewhere I'm not supposed to?" I asked. "I've never tried to escape, not once".

"That's just his personality, I suppose" said Axel, taking a bite out of his ice cream.

"You've known him a long time, right?" I asked. "Since before the Organization".

"Yeah…" he replied.

"When did he become so intense?" I asked.

"Dunno. Sometime after we joined the Organization, I suppose…" he replied, looking up at the sky in contemplation. "But he's never really been a cheerful individual to be honest. Why do you ask?".

"Just curious" I replied.

I had seen a hint of a different side of Saïx this morning. I didn't know if there was actually a nice side to him, or if he did it in the interest of the Organization…

"Hey guys!" Roxas had appeared around the corner to the ledge.

He sat down with his own ice cream, and took a bite.

"So, how were the missions today?" he asked after finishing the first bite.

"Nothing special" said Axel. "How about you, Megan?".

"I… apparently have the power to control Heartless now" I said.

"Say what?" said Axel, a little surprised.

"Yeah… I sort of summoned some in my room this morning" I began. "Saïx came in when he heard the commotion, and changed my mission today to learn how to control them. He said the power hidden within me is awakening… Do you know what he means by that?".

Axel looked down, contemplating.

"So that's where all these new powers are coming from…" he muttered. "No, this is the first I've heard of it".

I sighed, looking out at the sunset.

"When I was with Maleficent, she told me that the darkness within me had been sealed, but that another darkness, the one that went inside me, was slowly undoing that, and bringing it out" I said. "Do you think he could he be talking about my sealed darkness?".

Axel looked conflicted. Why hadn't he been made aware of this by the others? What else was Saïx not telling him?

"I don't know. Maybe" Axel finally said. "All I know is, if you get any more powers, you'll have more than we do!" he continued sarcastically.

"Megan? Have more powers than we do? That's an interesting thought…" said Roxas. "We'll have to spar sometime to see just how strong you've gotten!" he said, looking at me.

"Sure, I'll take you on!" I said back enthusiastically.

Roxas and I laughed, as Axel looked out at the sunset. He seemed to be deep in thought.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	28. Chapter 27 - A Failed Rescue

Hey everyone!

WOW this chapter ended up being really long!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 27 – A Failed Rescue**

 _I was standing in the in-between. All was quiet; the Nobody symbols were flowing across the ground and sky as usual._

 _"Megan" came a voice from all around me. It was Riku's._

 _I turned in all directions, looking around, but couldn't find its source. It seemed to be coming from the sky._

 _"We're coming to get you. Meet us at the highest point of the castle, at the Alter of Naught" Riku's voice continued._

I opened my eyes. I was lying in bed in my castle room. They were coming. DiZ was coming to the castle. I knew what I needed to do.

Heading out the door, I went toward the room of thrones where meetings were conducted. The Round Room I think they called it. I took the route I remembered Axel showing me from my room. Coming to the double doors, I opened them, and walked inside.

Stepping up on the central platform, I looked up. Xemnas was sitting up high on his throne. I looked at him confidently.

"Xemnas" I said. "DiZ is coming".

Xemnas' face showed a hint of satisfaction, but only for a moment.

"Where" he said slowly, but calmly.

"The highest area of the castle; at the Alter of Naught" I responded.

"Go. We will not be far behind" he said as he reached out his hand, and opened a portal beside me.

I nodded at him, and then walked through it. Coming out on the other side, I was high up above the castle, standing on one side of the Alter of Naught. Kingdom Hearts was shining large and bright to my right. It was the only thing illuminating the dark sky above.

I looked around. There wasn't anyone else there yet. I looked at the ground, bowing my head slightly. DiZ was not to be trusted. Of that I was sure. He had kept too much from me. I didn't know what his true objectives were.

I wasn't sure if Xemnas could be trusted either, but there were good people in the Organization working toward a noble goal. They were trying to get hearts of their own. Roxas and Axel were working toward that goal too. They were my friends, and I would protect them. Protect them from whatever plans DiZ had in mind. Even if that meant working for Xemnas.

I heard a portal open across from me, at the other side of the alter. Two figures walked through. One dressed in red, the other in black. DiZ and Riku. Riku's hood was down, and he wore a blindfold. His long silver hair flowed out behind him. Kingdom Hearts shone brightly in the space between us. I didn't lift my head, instead continuing to look at the ground.

"Megan, come!" urged DiZ. "We must leave quickly!".

I didn't move, but instead reached out my right hand to the side, and summoned my Keyblade. DiZ and Riku's heads fell back in shock. There was silence for a few moments. Then I heard thirteen people appear out of the darkness a few paces behind me. All thirteen members of the Organization had appeared in a wide grouping reaching from a short distance to my right, to the same on my left.

"Megan, what are you doing?!" asked DiZ incredulously. I looked up at him.

"Xemnas told me everything" I began seriously. "You kept me in the dark my whole life; supressed a part of me. How could I ever trust you?". I paused, and then continued more passionately. "You're trying to destroy all Nobodies. Not all of them are bad! They deserve to exist!".

I slowly backed up a couple paces, coming to stand just in front of the Organization. Standing with them. Xemnas smirked behind me.

"Megan, you don't understand–" DiZ began, but was interrupted when Xigbar stepped up to my right.

"Oh, she understands perfectly" he said. "You kept her in the dark about her powers because it would mess with your plans".

DiZ gritted his teeth. "Grrr…" he said. He then turned his head toward Riku. "Riku, we must leave. This is not the time for this".

Riku opened a portal next to them, and they departed. Once the portal disappeared, I took a deep breath, calming a bit of the adrenaline I felt. Xemnas walked up to my left side, and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Well done, Megan" he said calmly.

I looked up at him, surprised that I was getting a compliment from the Superior himself. He returned with a look of reassurance and confidence.

"Come. Let us go back inside" he said.

The others teleported away, leaving myself and Xemnas. He opened a portal, and motioned for me the enter. I looked up at the large Kingdom Hearts one last time, and then went through.

* * *

"We waited too long!" cursed DiZ, banging his fist against the table of monitors. "They've filled her mind with lies!".

"Calm down" said Riku. "We'll get her back. It'll just take more time".

" _Time_ does not seem to be a luxury we have" said DiZ. "They've turned her against us. She will not come willingly".

"We'll figure it out" said Riku.

* * *

I came out in the common area. Everyone was either sitting on couches or standing around making small talk. An arm suddenly wrapped around my neck from the left.

"Welcome to the team, Megan!" Xigbar said cheerfully as he shook my head from left to right.

He was clearly having fun at my expense. I looked up at him after a few seconds, still in a headlock, realizing what he had just said.

"The… team?" I said, confused. He smiled.

"Yeah! You've just proven your loyalty!" he replied.

I didn't know what to say. I just stared at his one eye. Axel and Roxas walked up to us. We both looked up at them.

"Xigbar, let her out of the headlock, will ya?" said Axel nonchalantly, scratching his head. "I don't think she's enjoying it very much".

He was right. My neck was starting to ache from being held in a horizontal position for so long. Xigbar grunted and released me. I rubbed my neck slightly. He walked off, smiling and waving.

"Later, Megan!" he said cheerfully.

I turned to Axel, still holding the back of my neck.

"Uh, thanks" I said. "He's really got a strong grip…".

Axel half laughed, smiling. "Yeah, well… he's used to doing it to guys. He tried it on Larxene once, but she scared him half to death with her temper after that, so he's never tried it with a girl again until now".

I chuckled. "I could see that coming from Larxene" I said.

There was silence for a brief moment. Then Roxas spoke.

"Those were some strong words you said up there" he began. "I didn't realize that's how you really felt".

I blushed. "You guys are my friends. I wouldn't want anything to take that away" I said shyly. "Nobody or Somebody, it doesn't matter. You still deserve to have a life of your own".

I looked at them. They looked back at me proudly.

Saïx walked into the middle of the room clapping to gain everyone's attention. "You all have missions to do" he said. "I still expect them to be completed by the end of the day".

I heard a few groans as members began opening portals to leave for their missions. The room slowly cleared out. Saïx walked up to Axel, Roxas, and I.

"The three of you will be together on a mission today" he said to us.

"Three? That's a rarity" said Axel surprised.

Saïx' expression didn't change as he continued. "It's been reported that there's a particularly large population of Heartless in Twilight Town, as well as a strong, larger Heartless. Your mission is to take care of all of them".

With that, he walked away. I looked at Axel and Roxas excitedly.

"We get to go on a mission together! The three of us!" I said.

It was like a dream come true. I remembered in the game that Roxas and Axel had had to beg Saïx to go on a three-person mission with Xion to cover up the fact that she didn't have her Keyblade. It had been really hard. Here, it had just happened on its own!

"Well, you ready to go?" asked Axel with kindness to me.

It was like even more walls had come down between us now. His emerald eyes looked at me the same way he looked at Roxas.

"Yep!" I said cheerfully.

He turned and opened a portal. The three of us walked through together. Coming out on the other side, we arrived at the far end of Station Plaza. The train station building was to our right. It was a large open area.

I had no doubt a bunch of Heartless would appear here, and I was right. Three groups appeared in the space in front of us. A group of Shadows, a group of Soldiers, and a group of Scarlet Tangos floating in the air.

"Time to get to work!" said Axel.

Roxas and I summoned our Keyblades on either side of Axel, as he summoned his chakrams. Roxas ran at the Shadows, Axel at the Soldiers, and myself the Scarlet Tangos. We moved in unison, attacking all three groups at once. We made a good team.

I took out the first of the three Scarlet Tangos that had appeared, but the others proved troublesome. They always loved to float out of the way every time I went in for an attack. I jumped out of the way just as one of them sent a fireball at me, and then turned and took it out. The last one floated a short distance away.

"You're not getting away from me!" I said as I ran at it.

I leaped into the air, and took it out with a strong final slash, coming to land with one knee bent. That was all the ones in my group. I turned around to see Axel and Roxas just finishing off theirs. As they took out the last ones, we all turned to face each other and smiled.

"Alright! This'll be a piece of cake!" said Roxas.

"Nice teamwork everyone!" said Axel.

I smiled. This was going to be the best mission ever. We walked up to each other and gave high fives all around. It was a cheerful start to the mission.

As we continued on down Station Heights, there were a few groups of Heartless scattered here and there, but nothing much for us. Taking them out with ease, we continued on. We proceeded down to Tram Common. Entering the large area, I knew there would be a large population of Heartless. With so many nooks and crannies to explore, they were bound to be hiding around every corner.

As we entered the large open area with a cylindrical building, groups of Heartless appeared everywhere. These ones were different. There were Mega-Shadows, Deserters, Air Soldiers, and even Dire Plants. I thought I had had enough fun with them in the Underworld…

"Wow. That's a lot of Heartless. Everybody ready?" asked Axel.

Roxas and I nodded. Keyblades and Chakrams at the ready, we each ran at a different group. I came across a group of Deserters, and slashed at the first one. It disappeared no problem, but its' companions moved out of the way before I could land a blow. I tried slashing at a second one, but it moved out of the way too quickly. The next thing I knew, all four-remaining ran at me at once from all directions.

The one from behind struck first; I didn't even see it coming. It hit from behind, causing me to fall forward slightly, just narrowly avoiding the one attacking from the front. I turned and parried a blow from the one to my left, and took it out in a single slash. Then, lifting my Keyblade up in the air, I yelled "THUNDER!". The lightning bolts took out the remaining ones.

I looked around. There were still other groups to be taken care of. Heading toward a group of Dire Plants, I shot fireballs at them from a distance. They were engulfed in the flames in all of a few seconds.

As Axel and Roxas finished off their few groups, we rejoined each other and pressed on. We checked every nook and cranny in the area, and took out any Heartless that appeared. They were EVERYWHERE. Once we had finally cleared everywhere we could find, it was down to the Sandlot we went.

Coming to the large open area, I immediately sensed a dark presence. Something big was coming.

"Guys, be on the lookout. Something's coming. Something big" I said.

"How do you know?" asked Roxas.

"It's the same feeling I had when that Darkside appeared in the underground on our last mission together. I've been able to sense large Heartless ever since" I replied.

We all looked around anxiously. Suddenly, a large gust of wind swept across the area. We all lifted our coat sleeves up to stop the sand from getting in our eyes. As the wind died down, we lowered our arms to see what had caused it. A Powered Armour was now standing in the middle of the Sandlot. It looked exactly like the one Sora had fought in Traverse Town.

"Had to be one of those…" muttered Axel, as he poised for battle. "Roxas, Megan, take the legs! I've got the torso!" he yelled.

"Right!" Roxas and I yelled back in unison.

I ran at the right, as Roxas ran at the left. Slashing at the leg as much as I could before it moved to attack, I leaped back. It began stomping around, sending shockwaves through the ground. I stepped back a few paces further to avoid losing my balance. I could've really used a health bar on it, but I suppose that wasn't happening in real life.

After it finished its' tantrum, I ran back in for another attack. Again slashing at its' legs, I was relieved when it finally disappeared. I took a brief look over at Roxas, who was still working on the other leg, before beginning a barrage of attacks on the arm. I jumped and slashed as much as I could before coming back down to the ground.

Taking a different approach, I backed up a few steps, aimed my Keyblade at the arm, and yelled "Fire!". A ball of flames went straight at the arm and connected. Axel went in for another attack on the torso right after the fireballs connected. It moved violently just as he came in to strike a blow, causing him to miss. He backed away to where I was standing, Roxas doing the same just as he took out the other leg.

"I think we pissed it off…" Axel said.

"Ya think?" I replied sarcastically.

"Here it comes!" yelled Roxas.

The Armour leaped up in the air, and headed straight at us, coming down for a body slam. We all leaped out of the way, Axel and I to the right, Roxas to the left. It landed between us with such force that it shook the entire ground. Right after it landed, we all went at it, taking advantage of the fact that it was down.

Taking out the arms in two seconds flat, all three of us began working on the torso. It wasn't long before it got back up. Even without legs or arms, it still stood tall in front of us.

"Go for the head!" yelled Axel. "Without that, it'll be easy to take out the torso!".

That was really high. Could I jump that high? Might as well try and find out… I got a running start, and leaped up into the air with my Keyblade, slashing as I went. I hit the torso on the way up, and to my surprise, vaulted off that to get up to, and attack, the head. I managed to get in a few blows before landing back down on the ground.

I had done it, but it had taken a lot to get up there. _Hang on a minute…_ I thought. _I can use the darkness to attack it head on from down here!_

"Clear the way!" I yelled to Axel and Roxas.

They both jumped out of the way after landing their last blows. I stepped my foot back, and thrust my hand forward.

"Hah!" I yelled as a ball of darkness erupted from my palm, and went straight at the Armour's head.

It connected head on, and destroyed it. Darkness was powerful. After the head disappeared, we made quick work of what was left of the body. It disappeared with a few more attacks from each of us, eventually falling to the ground and evaporating into thin air. A large pink heart was released. That was that. We came together in the center of the area, and dismissed our weapons.

"Wew!" said Roxas. "That was a tough one!".

"You're telling me!" I said back.

"Time for some well-deserved ice cream!" announced Axel.

"I'm gonna need, like, five after that battle" I said laughing.

"Don't blame me if you make yourself sick!" said Axel.

"I was kidding!" I said back.

"Ahaha" Roxas laughed.

After getting ice cream, we each took our places on top of the clock tower. I happily took a bite out of my popsicle. It tasted all the sweeter after such a hard battle. Looking over at Axel and Roxas, I saw that they seemed to be enjoying theirs as much as I was.

"So" said Roxas. "You're officially with us now".

"Oh! Yeah, I guess so" I said.

"Xemnas won't officially induct you 'cause you're not a Nobody, but it's good to know you're on our side" said Axel contentedly.

"I'm glad that's settled…" I sighed. "Does this mean Saïx is gonna get off my case now?".

"Who knows?" said Axel.

"Hey, what d'you think her new name would be? If she was officially inducted into the Organization?" Roxas asked Axel.

"You mean my name as an anagram with an 'X' in it?" I piped in. "That's a weird thought".

"Hmm… I dunno" said Axel thoughtfully, holding his chin and looking at the sky.

"Hey! Don't be making any terrible guesses! My name's fine the way it is!" I yelled at them sarcastically, sticking my tongue out.

They both laughed at me.

* * *

What do you think Megan's Organization XIII name would be? Let me know in a review or PM!

Also let me know what you thought of this chapter!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Until next time!


	29. Chapter 28 - Missing Pieces

Hey everyone!

Thanks so much for all your Organization XIII name thoughts last chapter! Lots of interesting ideas!

Now, without further ado... enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 28 – Missing Pieces**

 _A blast of darkness hit me straight in the back, sending me flying forward._

 _"Ngh!" I grunted as I fell to the ground of the in-between._

 _I rolled over onto my back to the see the attacker, supporting myself with my palms. Ansem was standing a short distance away from me. A grin flashed across his face. I gritted my teeth, giving him the dirtiest look I could muster. He began advancing toward me._

 _I began crawling backwards on all fours. Ansem merely grinned, and teleported right beside me. I gasped in surprise. Before I could do anything, he reached down and grabbed me by the neck, lifting me up off the ground._

 _My legs dangling, I struggled against his grip, trying to pull his arm away from my neck, but it was useless; he was too strong. He looked at me with satisfaction._

" _Thought you had gotten rid of me?" he said slyly. "Such a strong vessel you have become... You will be mine"._

Not if I have anything to do with it! _I thought, my face changing to one of determination._

" _Haaaah!" I yelled, contorting my face with anger._

 _The darkness consumed the outside of my body, green and purple hues encompassing it._

" _What?!" said Ansem, his face a look of surprise._

 _A shockwave emitted from my body, sending Ansem flying across the space, landing on the ground a distance away. I fell to the ground on one knee, the darkness coursing through my veins. I was breathing heavily. It faded. Looking up, I saw Ansem recover from the blow, and stand up._

" _You'll never take me!" I yelled at him. "I'll defeat you… just like Riku did!"._

 _Ansem laughed. "You would be nothing without me" he began. "I'm the one who released the powers locked deep within you!"._

 _With that, he thrust his hand forward, and released his own shockwave into the space. The force of the wind knocked me onto my back. I sat up quickly, and sent a blast of darkness back at him._

" _Haaah!" I yelled, thrusting my right palm out in front of me._

 _He blocked the attack, holding his arms in front of him in a cross formation. The force of the blow sent him sliding back. I got to my feet._

" _You may have released the power within me, but it's_ my _power, no one else's!" I yelled back._

 _I summoned my Keyblade, and ran directly at him._

" _Haaaaaah!" I yelled as I jumped in the air and attacked him from above._

 _He sent out a shockwave just before my attack could connect, sending me flying back to where I had begun, landing hard on my back._

" _Agh!" I grunted._

 _I sat up, nothing but adrenaline keeping me going now. Giving Ansem a dangerous look, I stood up and ran at him again with my Keyblade, sending a blast of darkness mid-run. This time however, my Keyblade became enveloped by the power of darkness. It's black and white swirls became encompassed by hues of green and purple, the same as had happened to my body previously._

 _Ansem's face showed surprise, as I once again leaped in the air, this time catching him off guard._

" _Haaaaah!" I yelled, striking him._

 _The attack connected, slashing him straight across the chest. After I landed, he backed up a few paces, mortally weakened, looking at his chest in disbelief. There was now a gash diagonally across it, emitting a white light._

" _This is… not possible!" he yelled out._

 _He raised his arms to the sky, and then dispersed in a flurry of darkness. He was gone._

I woke up in my castle room, sweating profusely. I took a deep breath. It was over. It was finally over.

Ansem was gone. Gone forever, I hoped. The rogue darkness that had invaded my body so long ago had disappeared. I sat up.

"Agh!" I grimaced, hunching over and clasping my chest.

Looking down with one eye, I saw a cloud of darkness swirling above my heart. It hovered there, making it ache, before dissipating a few moments later. I sighed. What was that?

It hadn't felt the same as when Ansem had tried to take me over many times previously. He was gone now anyway. This was a completely different feeling. Was this… my darkness? It was another puzzle to solve. I sighed and got up, heading for the common area.

Arriving a short while later, I walked up to Saïx.

"Alright, Saïx, where am I going today?" I asked confidently.

He looked up at me from his clipboard, emotionless as usual.

"Today you will be going with Marluxia to Wonderland" he stated.

"Wonderland?" I said, surprised.

A hand came to rest on my left shoulder from behind. I immediately turned, and jumped away from it, bringing my hands up in a Kung Fu chopping defensive position. Seeing it was just Marluxia, I lowered my hands, and stood up straight.

"You guys have gotta stop sneaking up on me like that!" I said to him.

He merely smirked.

"Are you ready to depart?" he then asked.

I nodded. He opened a portal, into which we entered together. Into the swirling mass for another mission. We quickly arrived in Wonderland.

There were trees everywhere. They varied in height, with platforms scattered across the upper areas. There were doors around in random places. We had arrived in the Lotus forest.

We walked forward, traversing the forest in search of Heartless. I still didn't trust Marluxia. He had a slippery personality. You never knew what that guy was thinking.

He had been the leader of Castle Oblivion. I wondered what had happened there? There were missing pieces in this timeline for me. Why hadn't the Organization members faded? I looked at Marluxia as we walked. He'd never tell me. Maybe Axel would.

Coming across a group of Shadows, I went to take them out. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran at the group, and took out the first two. Wheeling around, I dispersed two more, and sent a fireball at the final one. We continued on.

Coming to the edge of the forest, we were about to exit when a strange animal appeared on one of the branches to our left. It had a pink body, with dark purple stripes, and looked at us with a huge smile. Its' eyes then darted off in all directions. It was the Cheshire Cat.

"A pleasant day, isn't it?" it said happily.

We simply stared at it, puzzled as to why it had appeared before us.

"But even a pleasant day can become an unpleasant one" it continued.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, you need not worry now. It may move slowly, but it moves nonetheless. I cannot say if it is not this day, however there may be a day which may be a pleasant day, but may also not" it said, focusing all its' attention on me.

Now I was really confused. I tilted my head sideways, looking at its' shifting eyes. It merely smiled even wider, if that was possible, and then disappeared. I was left in utter disbelief. The Cheshire Cat was as confusing as I had always seen.

"Seems it has taken an interest in you" said Marluxia contemplatively.

"Does that usually happen when you've come here?" I asked.

Marluxia just smiled and continued on. He didn't answer my question. What the heck had the Cheshire Cat meant? It always spoke in riddles. I racked my brain about it as we walked through the opening at the edge of the forest.

The next area held what looked like the Queen of Hearts' court. There was no one around at the moment. Walking forward, a group of Defenders appeared, their dog-shields out in front of them. _Oh, great_ I thought. _This is going to be annoying…_

I summoned my Keyblade as they advanced toward us. Attacking it head-on wouldn't yield any results. It would just defend with its' shield. I had to get behind it.

Aiming to run beside it, it predicted my move and countered with its' shield. Before I had time to react, it moved the shield sideways and impacted my side, sending me to the ground. The dog began biting at me threateningly as I struggled to get up from under it. I hit the shield with my Keyblade, stunning it for a moment. It wouldn't harm the Heartless at all, but it would give me time to get away from it.

Now having backed a few paces distance from it, I readied for another attack. It would seem it was too fast, and too good at predicting my movements, to run behind it. I had to think of another way. It prepared for an attack.

I looked it up and down. The shield! I could use it vault up and over like I had with the Powered Armour. I didn't know if it would work with that dog mouth on it, but it was worth a try.

Just as it sent fireballs my way, I dodged them, and ran straight at it. Jumping as high as I could, my foot landed near the top of the shield. I pushed off and leaped over the main body of the Heartless, landing directly behind it. I had seconds. This was my chance.

I unleashed a barrage of attacks in every which way with my Keyblade, and then stepped back, sending a blast of fireballs at it for good measure. It worked. The Defender fell forward, disappearing and releasing a heart. I couldn't relax yet though; there were two others still standing.

Using the same method I had on the first, I took them out. Both fell and released hearts. Breathing a sigh of relief, I dismissed my Keyblade. Defeating Shadows was one thing, but the bigger ones were a lot tougher, and required much more strategy. We continued on.

Moving through another opening, we came into a central courtyard. There were entrances to mazes on either side, and I couldn't tell what was further ahead. Walking into the center of the area, a girl with blonde hair walked by and turned when she noticed us. It was Alice. Marluxia sent a flurry of flower petals over her in the next moment, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"What did you do to her?" I asked him.

"You need not worry. She is unharmed" he replied calmly. "In order to acquire the object we seek, I require something on her person".

He reached down and took something from her. A small key.

"I wish we didn't have to do such things…" I sighed, looking down at Alice, feeling bad.

He stood back up, placing the key in his coat pocket.

"Ah, you are an idealist" he said, looking at me. "But unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world".

I sighed. That still didn't make it right. I looked back at the sleeping Alice as we continued on, hoping that she would wake soon. We headed toward the larger of the two hedge mazes.

It would seem Marluxia knew exactly where he was going, as we didn't hit any dead ends, or get lost once in the maze. We arrived where it seemed he wanted to be, as he stood in front of the wall, blocking my view. A secret panel disappeared to reveal a chest. He took the key he had collected from Alice out of his pocket, and used it to unlock it, taking an item from inside. I wasn't able to see what it was.

Turning back to face me, he gave his usual smirk, and announced that the mission was over, opening a portal. I walked through it, ending up back in the common area of the castle. Marluxia glanced at me with satisfaction as he walked away. Our job was done for the day.

I scoured the room for Axel. I wanted to ask him about Castle Oblivion. It was weighing on my mind. I had been here this whole time, in the Kingdom Hearts 2 storyline, but with all the Organization members. I had to know what had happened to make things here happen differently.

I found him. He was leaned up against the far wall by the alcove. I headed in his direction. Coming up to him, he nodded to me, and we headed out to Twilight Town.

Sitting on the ledge of the clock tower with our ice creams, we stared out at the setting sun quietly. Roxas hadn't arrived yet. I asked the burning question on my mind.

"Axel, what happened at Castle Oblivion?" I asked.

"You don't know? I thought you knew everything about us" he replied.

I looked down.

"In my version of events, everyone there faded except you" I said.

"Faded?" Axel said, sounding surprised. "It takes a lot for a Nobody to fade…".

"You tested Sora there, right?" I asked. "Sent him to all the different worlds he had been to, all while having Naminé rewrite his memory to do anything she told him? No one faded during their battles with him?".

"It takes more than a single battle for a Nobody to fade…" said Axel. "And besides, we were only testing his power. They weren't full-on battles".

"Something went wrong though, didn't it?" I said. "Sora got all his memories back".

"Naminé grew a conscience, that's what happened" he said. "She told Sora what we were up to, and then the jig was up. We had to abandon the mission…". He didn't sound proud of it.

 _And then she put Sora's memories back together in the pod for a year…_ I thought. _It happened slightly differently, but not much._

"Thank you for telling me that Axel" I said, trying to cheer him up.

He looked at me for a moment, and then back out at the sunset, taking a bite out of his ice cream.

"Yeah, well. That was some time ago now. We've moved on" he said, and then paused, looking back at me. "You know everything we've done to Sora, and yet you still want to help us… Why?".

"Because" I said to him. "I know not everyone in the Organization are bad people".

Axel's face lifted in surprise for a moment, and then smiled.

Just then, Roxas came around the corner to the ledge with a stick of sea-salt ice cream. He smiled as he saw the both of us already sitting there.

"Man! You guys beat me all the time now!" he said as he sat down. "What were you talking about?".

"Castle Oblivion" I said nonchalantly.

"Oh wow. That was a while ago. Axel was gone for so long on that mission! I was worried I wasn't going to see him again!" said Roxas, remembering.

He took a bite out of his popsicle.

"Yeah, but I came back. Couldn't leave helpless little Roxas alone in the Organization, now could I?" Axel teased.

"Hey! I wasn't helpless!" Roxas retorted back.

"You were barely out of zombie-hood" Axel replied sarcastically, laughing.

He took a bite out of his ice cream. I looked at the two of them, and smiled. Roxas looked back at me.

"Megan, your ice cream's melting!" he exclaimed.

I looked down at the popsicle in my hand as it dripped onto the bottom of my coat.

"Ahh! You're right!" I exclaimed.

* * *

So much happened in this chapter, wow! Hope you enjoyed it!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	30. Chapter 29 - A Hidden Price

Hey everyone!

The chapters just keep getting longer! I swear I didn't plan it that way. It just kind of happened!

Anyways... enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 29 – A Hidden Price**

On my way to the common area, I stopped in one of the many white-clad hallways of the castle, thinking about Sora after Axel had mentioned him. How things would have been different if I had wound up with him. I had met him on a couple occasions for short periods of time. He was a good guy. I knew he was on the side of good, but I also knew that the Organization members were trying to achieve a noble goal too. Sora could handle himself. He would be fine without me.

I thought about what else Axel had said. About Castle Oblivion. Naminé had turned on them. That was the reason the mission failed. I guess that meant that the coup to take over the Organization never happened in this version of events. This was a completely united Organization.

I continued on, coming to the alcove entrance of the common area. I walked up to Saïx.

"Megan, today you will be going with Demyx to Olympus Coliseum" he said.

I turned to find Demyx smiling contentedly beside me.

"So, ready to head out?" he asked happily. He was way too happy about this.

"Whenever you are…" I sighed, knowing he was planning on doing as little work as possible.

He turned and opened a portal, and we walked through together. We arrived in the entranceway to the Coliseum. Scoreboards were hanging on the walls around us, and two figures clashed swords above the doors to the entry area. Everything was brightly lit by the sun overhead.

"So" said Demyx cheerfully. "Our second time here together!".

"Oh!" I said, remembering. "Yeah!".

It seemed like so long ago now that we had been here together that first time. First time on a mission with Demyx, and only my second mission with the Organization. Well, really my first, as the previous one had been training with Axel. I smiled, remembering how Demyx had complained about how much work it had been defeating the Darkside. He had immediately found himself a couch to plomp on once we returned to the castle.

"What are you smiling about?" Demyx asked.

"Oh nothing" I laughed. "Just remembering our first time here. It was my first real mission aside from training with Axel".

I looked at him. He looked back at me.

"Wow! That _was_ a long time ago!" he finally said, scratching his cheek. "You've changed so much since then! You're barely recognizable!". He paused. "Hey, think you can take out any big Heartless we encounter on your own this time?".

"Don't push it" I said.

"Aw, come on! I don't like fighting! It's _so_ much work!" Demyx complained.

"Shall I tell Larxene you were the one responsible for all the water on the floor the other day?" I said. "I don't think she's certain of the culprit yet…".

"Ah! No! No, no, no!" said Demyx, frantically waving his hands in front of him. Then he paused, collecting himself. He looked at me, trying to look confident, but nervousness was all over his face. "You've gotten to be quite the little blackmailer… Has Axel… been teaching you a trick or two?".

"Oh, no. He's got nothing to do with this. This is all me…" I said slyly, giving him a mischievous look.

"A-all right, then…" he began nervously. "Guess we'll work together on this one, 'kay?".

"Sounds good!" I said, returning to a cheerful demeanor. "Just don't soak me like last time!".

 _Man, she's like Axel's apprentice or something…_ thought Demyx. _Going from scary to cheerful on a dime…_ He shuttered.

We moved toward the main entrance of the Coliseum. Just before the doors, a group of Heartless appeared in front of us. A couple Wizards and some Barrel Spiders. I summoned my Keyblade, Demyx waiting while I took out the small fry.

I ran at them, rushing right into the center and taking out two of the Barrel Spiders. I moved to take out the last one, just as a lightning bolt struck in front of me. I turned around, seeing the Wizard that had cast it. Turning away from the last Barrel Spider, I gave it a dirty look and ran toward it, slashing it into oblivion.

The other one was a short distance away, so I decided to take it out first, before returning to the Barrel Spider. It would be less of an impediment when I went to take out the last one this way anyway. Running at it, I made quick work of dispersing it. Its' captive heart floated up into the sky. I then pivoted, turning and casting a fire spell with my Keyblade at the last Barrel Spider.

Demyx joined me once the last Heartless disappeared, and we continued on. Walking through the doors to the entry area, I was relieved to see no one was there. Didn't Phil usually hang out in that area? Where was he? I hadn't seen him on any other visits to the Coliseum either, but to be honest, I had kind of gotten used to not seeing anyone around on worlds we had visited.

Defeating a small group of Shadows that appeared, we continued through the next door, coming into the main coliseum. I scanned the bleachers and main concrete slab in the middle where battles took place. If a large Heartless was going to appear this time, this was where it would be. We walked toward the center, on alert for any Heartless that might appear.

Just as we were walking across the central slab, Heartless appeared EVERYWHERE. There must've been at least twenty groups of them scattered across every area of the space. There were groups on the other side of the pillars denoting the fighting area, up on the bleachers, and at both entrances to the space. I looked at the sheer amount of them. I'd never seen so many groups appear all at once! I summoned my Keyblade.

"Demyx, you're gonna need to help with this!" I yelled to him.

"Oh, alright…" he sighed, summoning his sitar.

I ran at one of the groups around the concrete slab, and began taking out the Tornado Steps and Wizards that stood there. After I'd finished with them, a nearby Crescendo made its' annoying sound, much to the displeasure of my ears. I turned around and ran at the group where it had originated from next. This one had Crescendos and Barrel Spiders. Making quick work of them, I turned to look around at what was left.

I saw Demyx on the other side of the concrete slab, playing his sitar, and sending waves of water at a group of Barrel Spiders and Powerwilds a short distance away. Looking around the area, there were still more groups than I could count. Too many. It would take forever to take them all out with the Keyblade. The power of darkness was needed in this situation.

I dismissed my Keyblade, and began firing off blasts of darkness from my palm. I threw one at the closest group on the bleachers, and then another at a group on the other side of them. I saw a larger group standing near the far doorway of the coliseum. A darkness blast wouldn't be enough to take it out alone. I needed to use the attack I had learnt while with Maleficent. I hadn't used it at all since then.

Allowing myself to become overcome by strong emotion, the darkness began to envelop my body. The green and purple hues covering every part of it. Once I felt the power course through my veins, I began forming the large ball of darkness that the Darksides had used against Sora. It grew larger and larger between my hands, until finally it grew to my height.

"Haaaaah!" I yelled, as I thrust both hands forward, sending it at the large group of Heartless.

It connected, sending them all into oblivion. Hearts released up into the sky. There was more work to be done though. The darkness still enveloping my body, I began moving debris from battles at the Coliseum, and throwing it at groups of Heartless. One by one, the groups went down, until only a handful remained.

I went to throw more debris at the remaining groups, when suddenly an intense wave of fatigue hit me. My arm fell as I bent over slightly, supporting myself by putting my arms on my knees. The darkness within me subsided, no longer enveloping my body.

"What…?" I sighed heavily, weakened. "What's… going on?".

I stood back up straight, and thrust my hand out, sending another blast of darkness to a group of Heartless. They disappeared. Another wave of fatigue hit. I didn't give up.

Standing up as tall as I could, I sent blasts of darkness at three more groups, as Demyx finished off another. More fatigue hit. _It's like the more I use the darkness, the more it saps my strength…_ I thought. There were only two groups left.

I stood up one more time, and sent two blasts of darkness at them. They disappeared without a fight. Then another wave of fatigue hit me that was stronger than the rest. I couldn't hold myself up anymore.

It was like a lightning bolt had struck inside me. My body went erect, my back arching, as my eyes grew wide. I fell forward, collapsing to the ground on my stomach with my right arm falling above my head.

"Megan!" I heard Demyx yell worriedly from the other side of the concrete slab.

I was awake, but had no strength to move any muscle in my body as I lay there looking at him to my left. A large hand grabbed my outstretched right one, lifting me off the ground, and up into the air, my legs dangling. I managed to lift my head slightly to see who had lifted me up.

"Pete?!" I said in shock at seeing his large figure.

A fresh burst of adrenaline gave my muscles a little bit of strength, but not much. I tried struggling in his grip, swinging slightly as he held me above the ground, but it didn't do any good. I summoned my Keyblade, and tried to swing it at him, but it didn't reach, as he was holding me at arm's length. He merely smirked.

"Let me go!" I yelled at him with what little energy I had.

I saw Demyx make to run towards us, but Pete threw a ball in his path before he could take more than a few steps. It exploded into a mist of dust and debris, and I heard Demyx begin coughing. Pete then focused his attention back on me.

"Heh heh. Miss me? Nighty, night" he said.

Something hard hit me on the back of the head, and I fell unconscious. My Keyblade clattered to the ground and disappeared.

* * *

I woke up, blinking a few times, my eyesight a bit blurry. I was laying on my left side on a cold, stone floor. I rubbed the back of my head, and squeezed my eyes shut as it throbbed. It settled down a few moments later. I was REALLY tired of being knocked unconscious by that bozo.

Opening my eyes again, the blurriness cleared, and I got myself to a seated position. Seeing the feet of a slender person standing a few feet away, I looked up and saw a man with blue flames for hair.

"Hades?!" I said in complete shock, backing up toward the cave wall on all fours.

"Ah, you know of me…" he said callously. "I'm FLATTERED".

He walked a few paces toward me, closing the space I had created backing up to the wall, and smirked. Pete stood beside him. Maleficent must've ousted him. Why was every freakin' villain in this universe after me?!

"The Organization'll find me" I said to Hades defiantly, trying to look confident.

He looked at the walls of the small chamber we were in.

"You know what's special about this chamber we're in? Its' walls contain elements with properties that inhibit that little tracking device in you. They won't be able to find you" he said.

My eyes grew wide initially, before changing to give him a defiant look again. Three Shadow Heartless appeared in front of me. I commanded them to attack him. Their bodies contorted slightly, and they leaped straight up at him. He merely swatted them into oblivion with a wave of his hand. Surprise was evident on my face.

"Really? Heartless?" said Hades, sounding bored. "You've gotta do better than that".

Realization crossed my mind at seeing him destroy the Heartless. I looked at him with anger.

"You were the one who summoned all those Heartless in the Underworld!" I said. "I should've known…".

"Bingo" said Hades. "And I saw some pretty impressive power come outta you".

I looked at him with all the defiance I could muster.

"What do you want with me?" I asked.

"Here's the deal. You come work for me, leave those coat-wearing, terrible fashion sense Organization members behind, and you'll be more powerful than you know. Your power's wasted with them anyway" he said.

"Not interested. Didn't your pal Maleficent tell you that?" I said back tauntingly.

Hades looked disappointed at my answer, and then thought contemplatively about the question.

"Don't know if I would call us 'pals'…" he said.

"Aww… aren't all you evil villains buddies? Or did you get kicked out of out of the club?" I teased.

"How DARE you!" he yelled angrily, his flame hair changing to bright red.

I tensed, pushing up even harder against the wall, all my insults suddenly far back in my mind at seeing his angry face. Hades must've seen the fear on my face, as he calmed down shortly thereafter, his flame hair changing back to blue.

"See what you've done now? You made me ANGRY. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry… _I_ don't like me when I'm angry" he said. He changed gears. "And I'm not giving you a choice. It's a take-it-don't-leave-it sort of deal".

I had had enough of his chatter.

"Take THIS" I yelled, sending a blast of darkness at him from my seated position.

I stood up in front of the wall, seeing the blast hit him head-on, smirking when it connected. I had hit him! It was a different story once the mist cleared though.

He was laughing, and threw a blast of darkness at me in return. I jumped out of the way just in time, glaring at him.

"C'mon! Give me more!" he yelled tauntingly.

I sent another blast of darkness at him. It connected, but he was unfazed once again. I sent another, and another. They all ended up with the same result. It was as if he was invincible. He just laughed.

"We're in the Underworld! MY dominion! You think you can hurt me here?" he said incredulously.

I gasped in realization. I had forgotten about that. Hades could never be harmed in the Underworld. Hercules had run into that problem.

What could I do? I couldn't get out of here on my own. There didn't seem to be any exits to the cavern we were in. I cursed myself for not having the power of portals yet. It would've been really handy in this situation!

Wait a minute. Hades had said that this room was special; its' alloys had tracker-inhibitors in them. That meant that if I could blast a hole in the wall, it would let the signal through! I couldn't believe I was thinking that. I was TRYING to get the Organization to find me. A few weeks ago, I would've been happy for the tracker to be deactivated, and to get away from them.

I sighed. No, I was with them now. I was with Axel and Roxas. They were my friends. We were all working toward a goal, together.

I positioned to send another blast, but instead of hitting Hades this time, I aimed at the wall behind him. I stepped my left foot back, and thrust my right hand forward, sending the blast past him. It impacted the wall, causing the cavern to shake. Hades turned to look behind him, and then back at me incredulously.

"What are you doing?!" he said. "You'll bring the whole cavern down on us!".

I didn't listen to him, instead continuing to send more blasts. I knew the Organization would be monitoring my tracker carefully. Demyx had seen Pete take me; he would've informed Saïx immediately. I just prayed they got here before the cavern collapsed.

The last blast opened a small hole in the back wall of the cavern, just as rocks began to fall from above. Pete looked worried, looking at the ceiling of the cavern as rocks fell all around him.

"Uh, boss? I think we should go…" he said.

Hades looked infuriated. I looked around, trying to avoid falling rocks. A few small ones hit my coat shoulders, leaving a dusty residue. The cavern was slowly coming down.

Just then, I heard a portal open to my right. I looked at it. Axel came through.

"Woah!" he said, seeing the state of things. "Time to go!".

He urged me toward the portal, and we ran through together, Axel giving Hades a smirk on the way out.

Coming out in the common area of the castle, we came to an abrupt stop, half bent over from trying to avoid falling rocks. Axel straightened up as I coughed from all the debris dust on my coat. I followed after a few moments. There was white dust all over my coat, and likely my hair and face as well. Roxas came walking up, seeing the state I was in, Demyx not far behind him.

"Megan, are you okay? What happened?" Roxas asked.

"Oh, nothing much" I said, half-laughing. "I'm apparently on Hades' radar now. He tried to get me to join him like Maleficent did. Of course, I told him no. He wasn't very happy about that".

"Why was the cavern collapsing when I found you?" asked Axel.

"That cavern was inhibiting the signal from my tracker" I explained. "I had to make a hole in it for you to find me. I… kind of destabilized the cavern in the process…".

"You idiot…" said Axel. "You're lucky I came when I did!". He punched me lightly in the shoulder.

"I knew you'd come" I said happily, laughing. "That was the point!".

Axel's face changed to one of concern as he looked at all the debris dust on me.

"Alright, we'd better get you cleaned up, or Saïx'll have a fit…" Axel said. Then, looking in Demyx' direction, he said "It's okay Demyx, we'll take it from here".

Axel and Roxas stood on either side of me as they led me out of the common area, both worried that I might fall over at any moment.

* * *

That's it for this one! Hope you enjoyed it!

It's back to University next week, so chapters may not be coming out as often depending on the homework load. Just FYI!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	31. Chapter 30 - Attempted Explanation

Hey everyone!

Here's chapter 30!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 30 – Attempted Explanation**

"She's back in Twilight Town. This is our chance" said DiZ. "Bring her here".

"She won't come willingly" said Riku.

"I don't care how you do it. She is still being accompanied by Organization members even though she is loyal to them, which means she does not yet possess the power to create Corridors of Darkness on her own. Once brought here, she will not easily be able to leave" said DiZ.

"Understood" said Riku.

* * *

Arriving in the common room, Saïx informed me that I would be going with Zexion to Twilight Town. _Twilight Town again?_ I thought. I wasn't complaining; it was my favourite world to go to on missions. I just thought the frequency at which I was being sent there was pretty often. Guess they sent us where we were needed. Didn't matter what world it was on.

"Good morning, Megan" Zexion greeted me as he walked up.

I greeted him back with a smile before he opened a portal. We walked through.

"Heard you had an encounter with Hades the other day" said Zexion after we arrived in Twilight Town. "Seems you cannot catch a break".

I half-laughed, trying to pass it off as nothing, but looking more nervous than anything as I scratched my cheek.

"Yeah, it would seem so…" I said. "Why is everyone after me?".

"As I'm sure you know, the power within you is very strong. Many would like to control it. I would guess that it may even rival Kingdom Hearts…" said Zexion contemplatively.

"What?" I said incredulously. "You're kidding… there's no way. Kingdom Hearts is… it's way more powerful than anything else! How could the power inside _me_ be like that?".

"You've seen it yourself" said Zexion. "The abilities that you have acquired are quite extraordinary. It is a mystery as to where your power came from".

Having arrived at Station Plaza, we crossed the large area, heading toward Market Street. As usual, a bunch of Heartless appeared, blocking our path. They were only Shadows, but there were a lot of them. Three groups had appeared in a triangle formation, five making up each.

I summoned my Keyblade, running at the group on the right. A few slashes later, I had finished with them, and was headed for the middle group. I went to take out the last one, when it jumped off to the right, avoiding my attack. I went after it, and took it out. One group to go. I ran at it, and took it out with little effort. I knew their patterns by this point; I had fought so many Shadows that they all moved the same to me now.

Zexion and I arrived at the top of Market Street, the long, steep, cobbled walkway that you could ride a skateboard down with Roxas in the game. That would've been so much fun right now. But it wasn't to be. We were on a mission. No horseplay allowed.

I sighed, but then thought about it. That was when Roxas was trapped in virtual Twilight Town, and had had his memories overwritten. I shuttered. I wouldn't want that to happen to me. I feared that that was what DiZ might do to me now that I knew so much.

Taking out a few groups of Heartless as we descended the steep street, we cut through the Back Alley on the way to the Sandlot. Just as I rounded the corner slightly ahead of Zexion, I bumped right into a girl wearing an orange top with white flowers, and tan capris. We both fell backward toward the ground, rubbing our heads when we landed.

"Sorry…" I heard her say after a few seconds.

I looked up after the throbbing in my head died down to see who it was. Staring at me with bright green eyes, and a curious expression was none other than Olette! The girl that hung out with Hayner and Pence! I couldn't believe my eyes. I was actually sitting across from Olette!

It shouldn't have phased me anymore; I had been in the Kingdom Hearts universe for a while now, and met many characters I never thought I'd meet, but it still did every time. I must've been staring out into space too long, as Olette tilted her head slightly sideways.

"Hey, are you OK?" she said, looking at me.

"Uh… yeah!" I said, snapping out of it, returning to my cheerful self. "Just a slight bump on the noggin".

"I'm glad…" sighed Olette.

She put her hand out to help me up after getting up herself, which I took and came to a standing position. She smiled at seeing I was no worse for wear.

"Hey! Everything alright out here?" said a boy walking up behind Olette. He wore a black shirt with a skull and crossbones on it, khaki pants, and a grey sleeveless jacket, with short, light-blonde hair. Hayner.

"Yeah, we just bumped into each other is all…" Olette said to him. She turned back to me. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name!".

"Oh! It's Megan!" I replied happily.

I looked behind me, and was surprised to see that Zexion wasn't there.

"What are you looking at?" asked Olette once I turned back to face them.

"Oh, it's nothing…" I said, scratching my head. Where had Zexion gone?

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Megan" said Olette happily. Then she changed to a more somber expression. "Sorry, but we've gotta run… a friend of ours was taken, and we need to find her best friend and let him know what happened. We'll catch you later!".

With that, Olette and Hayner waved as they ran past me, heading up Station Heights. _Could that be…?_ I thought. _No… Axel wouldn't have any reason to kidnap Kairi here. He had kidnapped her in the game to try and turn Sora into a Heartless so that Roxas would return. But Roxas was still around in this version of events. It must be a coincidence._

Just then, a gloved hand appeared on my shoulder. I looked behind me to see Zexion standing there. He gave me a weak smile before moving in front, and turning around to face me.

"I see you've met the locals" he began. "I suppose it was unavoidable in this instance. The two of you bumped right into one another…".

"Oh. Sorry about that. I know we're supposed to keep contact with locals to a minimum…" I began.

Zexion put his hand up. "No, it's fine. Sometimes it can be beneficial for informational purposes". He paused. "Come, let's continue on".

We didn't come across any Heartless in the Back Alley. Coming out to the Sandlot, I was surprised when none appeared there either. This was a large, open area; prime space for Heartless to gather usually. As we walked up onto the sandy square area where fighting took place, we looked around.

All of a sudden, a figure in an Organization cloak appeared out of the darkness to our left. They had long silver hair, and wore a blindfold. It was Riku. Without warning, he stepped his foot back, and sent a blast of darkness at Zexion, who was standing between him and myself.

Zexion summoned his Lexicon, using it as a shield to block the attack. Then he sent the same attack back at Riku, mimicking everything about it. Riku didn't expect this, putting his arms up in a cross formation to block it at the last moment. It sent him sliding back a few paces.

Summoning Soul Eater after he had recovered, Riku ran at Zexion. Zexion parried the attack with his Lexicon, and they pushed off, landing about ten feet away from each other. I watched from a short distance away as Zexion fought Riku with everything he had. He was entirely focused on the fight. I had to help him!

I stepped my foot back, and sent a darkness blast at Riku. Riku simply slashed Soul Eater diagonally to dispel my attack, barely distracted. It gave Zexion an opening though. By the time Riku had dispelled my attack, Zexion had summoned clones of his Lexicon all around him. One of the books hit Riku squarely in the back, sending him falling forward slightly. He didn't give up though.

Turning around with Soul Eater in hand, he sent a single slash at every one of the books, destroying them with little effort. How was he so strong? Once he had taken out the last book, Zexion fell forward slightly, seemingly weakened by all his clones being destroyed so quickly. Riku took his opportunity. He sent a darkness blast straight at the weakened Zexion, hitting him squarely in the chest, causing his to fall back slightly, but still maintain his balance. Riku moved like a blur in the next moment.

"Zexion!" I yelled worriedly.

Zexion looked up, and reached his hand out toward me.

"Megan, be on your guard!" he yelled back weakly.

I looked around, trying to spot where Riku had gone, but couldn't see him anywhere. Suddenly a portal opened up beside me. Before I had even registered it, I was pushed roughly in the side of the shoulder toward it, stumbling through the swirling mass. I lost sight of Zexion.

Coming out the other side, I stumbled into a completely white room, stopping myself as quickly as I could from the speed at which I had come through the portal. Once I had collected myself, I looked around my new surroundings. The ceiling was white, the walls were white, and the doors were white. There were drawings pinned up here and there. No way… the mansion?!

I turned around to face the room. Sitting at the opposite end of a long white table was a young girl in a white dress with blonde hair. I immediately took a step back.

"Naminé?!" I said incredulously.

She smiled, trying to look friendly.

"Yes. Of course you would know who I am. You know almost everything about this universe" she said.

I took another step back. _Wait a minute,_ I thought. _If this is the mansion where Naminé is, then… this is DiZ's base of operations!_ I gulped, my eyes growing wide with fear as I looked at her. I had to get out of here. DiZ could show up at any moment. Naminé must've read the look on my face.

"It's alright, Megan" she said. "I'm here to help you. It's not what you think".

"You going to mess with my memory like you did Roxas's?" I said carefully.

I didn't even distinguish between this reality and the game's, but she seemed to know what I was talking about anyway. Her expression changed to one of pity.

"I would never do that…" she began.

I wasn't listening. Going to the closest door, I tried to open it, but it was locked. The only other exit was by her, and I didn't dare go near.

"You don't have all the information…" said Naminé. "Please, let me explain…".

"I know everything I need to" I said flatly. "DiZ didn't want me knowing about the power inside me because I'm a threat to him with it".

"That's not true!" Naminé said desperately.

In the next moment, I heard commotion come from the door beside her. Suddenly, two figures burst through, and into the room. DiZ and Riku. I backed to where I had come out of the portal as they looked at me.

"There's been a power failure!" said DiZ frantically. "They'll be here any moment for her now that the signal jammer's offline!".

Naminé looked at him worriedly. Seeing DiZ ten feet away from me, I grew angry. Stepping my foot back, I sent a darkness blast straight at him. Riku immediately summoned Soul Eater and dispersed it. I glared at him.

In the next moment, Saïx, Marluxia, Axel, and Zexion appeared out of the darkness on either side of me, weapons at the ready. I relaxed a bit at having backup. It was now a standoff between the five of us, and the three of them. Marluxia was the first to make a move, sending a wave of flowers with his scythe straight at Naminé, who put her hands up in front of her in an attempt to protect herself. Riku dispersed the attack the same way he had mine, just before it hit her. I watched as Naminé's expression went from calm to frightened, and suddenly felt for her. She was stuck in the middle of all this.

"Traitorous girl!" said Marluxia icily. It was harsh.

Naminé's expression changed to one of defiance. She stared down Marluxia with everything she could muster.

"At least I realized what was happening before it was too late!" she said. "You were going to use Sora against his will. It wasn't right!".

"'Right' is relative when one is trying to achieve something" said Marluxia.

Riku grew agitated at hearing that, and readied himself in a battle stance.

"Enough" said Saïx. "We are not here to fight".

He reached out his hand, and opened a portal. Marluxia walked through, and I made to follow, Axel close behind. Just before reaching the corridor, I paused at seeing Riku leap across the table straight at us, his weapon poised to attack. I gasped.

"We won't let you take her!" he yelled.

Axel was behind me, and turned to parry the attack with his chakrams, holding Riku back from proceeding any further. Zexion came up to my side, and ushered me forward into the portal, following behind while he was at bay. Axel and Saïx grinned at Riku and DiZ after seeing I had gone through. Pushing Riku off, Axel followed Saïx into the corridor just before it closed.

Coming out into the common area with Marluxia and Zexion, I turned around to see Saïx and Axel return just as the corridor closed. Axel looked at me, and sighed contentedly, while Saïx looked livid. He stormed off. I looked at Axel confused.

"He's just frustrated that they were able to get to you, is all" Axel explained. "We almost lost you there!".

I looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry…" I said. "I froze up".

"Ah, don't worry about it" said Axel lightheartedly, rubbing the top of my head, messing my hair. I grabbed his wrist, and pulled it off before he created knots in it. He simply patted my head then. "You're our little Organization-member-in-training. You're allowed to make mistakes".

"Training?!" I said after his hand had returned to his side. "I thought training was over once I learned how to fight!".

Axel just smiled and walked off. Zexion came to stand beside me.

"I'm glad you're alright" he said. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to defend you from them".

"He moved like a blur, Zexion" I said. "It wasn't you're fault. I don't think anyone could've stopped him single-handedly". I sighed. "I should've been more aware that they would try something like that".

Zexion then walked away, leaving me to my own devices. That had been a close one. They had even found a way to block the tracker signal. I had to be more careful, or I might end up like Roxas in the game…

* * *

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	32. Chapter 31 - The Danger of Darkness

Hey everyone!

OMG. So. Much. Reading. I don't remember there being so much of it last semester. Wow.

Anyways, enough of my twaddle. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 31 – The Danger of Darkness**

I laid in bed, thinking about things. I wished I could visit the Destiny Islands again. Who knew when we would get another day off? I wished I could just go there on my own. It was a nice place to relax.

I got up from the bed and looked out the window. Did the World That Never Was ever change? It was forever dark. A stark contrast to the bright white inside the castle. I looked down at the ground. The dusks were dancing around as usual; none of them had reached the window since that first day. I headed to the common area.

On arrival, Saïx said more than his typical statement.

"Megan, you will be going with Axel to Twilight Town today" he said. "There is a large Heartless to be taken care of". He paused. "Given the enemy's multiple attempts to capture you there, you must be extra vigilant. We do not want to have to retrieve you again".

Gee. Warm and fuzzy, wasn't he? I turned around, and was happy to see Axel standing there waiting. He gave me a smile when I looked at him with uncertainty.

"Don't worry, Megan" he said confidently. "They're still licking their wounds from the last time. They won't try anything. And if they do, yours truly'll send 'em packing".

I gave him a weak smile at hearing that. I knew he was trying to make me feel better. If only I could make portals myself, it wouldn't be so much of an issue. What were they actually called? Corridors of Darkness? If I could create my own, I wouldn't have to worry about being pushed into one, and trapped wherever it went. I could just corridor out.

Axel turned and opened a Corridor. We walked through. As I came through the other side, it opened up into an area I hadn't been before, which surprised me. I had been to Twilight Town many times, but never to this place. As I looked around it in awe, Axel stopped beside me, the Corridor closing behind us.

"Welcome to Sunset Terrace" he said.

I looked up at him. "Sunset Terrace?" I said, having trouble remembering the area. I couldn't recall it from the game initially. I think there were only a handful of scenes there. "Oh! Is this where Sunset Hill is?".

"Yeah" he replied. "It's not as good a view as the clock tower, but it's nice".

He smiled at me. I remembered it was the place where Axel, Riku, and Naminé had talked at one point. I couldn't remember when.

"Can we go there?" I asked.

Axel gave me a mischievous look. "As long as you take out all the Heartless on the way" he said tauntingly, wagging his finger. "We are on a mission after all!".

I looked at him, and nodded happily. Sunset Hill. It looked like a beautiful place in the game. I wanted to see it. See the benches and the view.

As we walked from our starting position, a group of Mega-Shadows appeared. These guys were bigger than your average Shadow. They moved faster too. No sooner had they formed out of the ground, then they leaped straight at us.

Summoning my Keyblade, I slashed straight across the air, sending them back a good ways. Then I ran after them.

"Haaaaaah!" I yelled, running to battle.

I slashed at the ones who had attacked initially first. They would be weaker after my initial strike. A few slashes more and they disappeared, releasing hearts into the sky. There were two more.

I turned around and sent a blast of darkness at one, and cast fire at the other. Using the powers of light and darkness were coming more easily to me now. I could weave them together interchangeably. It was beneficial in battle.

Having cleared that group, we walked down the next ramp to a semi-flat area. Sunset Terrace seemed to be mostly made up of staircases and ramps from the station. There was only a small area between the station and the upper area that was flat. And of course, any open area meant Heartless… Another group appeared just as we came down the final set of stairs from the station area.

This time it was a bunch of Guardians. They were floating a few feet off the ground, and began hovering toward us. I summoned my Keyblade and ran at the one in front. Jumping up, I slashed at it from above, bringing it down to the ground with me. Once it was there, I was able to easily take it out before it could hover again. I used the same method on the others.

"Man, those Heartless don't stand a chance against you…" said Axel. "You've become quite adept!".

I blushed. "Oh… you really think so?" I said.

I hadn't really thought I'd improved at all to be honest. It seemed to be the same deal all the time with taking out Heartless. It had almost become second nature.

"Yeah. You've grown" he said, but then he went and changed to a more teasing voice. "But you're still not as strong as a full Organization member. That'll take a while yet".

I pouted at him, to which he replied by patting my head, and continuing on past me. I turned around and followed. We began working our way up to the top of Sunset Hill. I could almost see the bench where Naminé had sat at the top.

After taking out a few more groups of small Heartless on the way, we finally reached it. We had finally reached the top of Sunset Hill! Coming up the last few stairs to the top, I ran toward the benches and railing, looking out over the town. Axel was right; it was a beautiful view. Not as beautiful or high up as the clock tower, but still nice.

You could see all the way across the town to the tall tower in the distance. The auburn lights reflected off everything. I could see the tall bridge where the train tracks ran off to the side from the main area to where we were standing. It was a nice change of scenery from our usual hangout. I stood there as the wind caressed my face, blowing my hair slightly.

Axel walked up beside me, leaning over slightly, and resting his arms on the railing. He seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was.

"Nice, isn't it?" he said. "I don't get to come here as often as I'd like. Most of the time, the assignment's in the main area of town".

"Couldn't you just create a Corridor and come here whenever?" I asked.

"Naw" he replied. "That wouldn't be fair to Roxas. He likes the clock tower".

"Does he know about this place?" I asked.

"You know, I don't know if he's ever been here…" Axel replied. "Suppose I should ask him sometime".

Just then, a group of Scarlet Tangos appeared on the other path down the hill.

"Ugh" I said. "I better go take care of them…".

Axel stayed where he was as I ran toward them, Keyblade in hand. They floated slightly down the path, rounding the corner as I followed, losing sight of Axel.

"So, how long you been watching us?" said Axel once I was out of visual range.

Riku walked out from behind a bush, wearing his blindfold.

"You knew I was there, but you didn't do anything" he stated.

"Try anything, and I might change my mind" said Axel carefully, standing up.

"I'm not here for a fight, or for Megan" said Riku. "I just want to talk".

"Ok, so talk" said Axel.

"I can tell you and Roxas really care about her. You wouldn't want any harm to come to her". He paused, as Axel turned to give his full attention. "The power being released within her is dangerous. It _will_ take her over if she continues using it. She'll fall to darkness".

Axel was having trouble keeping his poker face. He looked down at the ground initially, and then back up at Riku, clearly conflicted.

"And what would you have me do about it?" he began nonchalantly. "She uses it all the time. It's a part of her now".

"You'll have to figure something out, if you want to save her" said Riku.

He then opened a Corridor and walked through, the entryway disappearing shortly thereafter. Axel stood there deep in thought. Did the others know about this? I ran back up to him after taking out the group of Heartless that had appeared. He put a smile on as I walked up.

"Man! Those things are really annoying!" I said. "They just LOVE to float away on me. I had to chase one almost all the way down the hill! And then more groups appeared on the way! It was a nightmare!".

Axel just laughed at my complaining, doing his best to hide any indication of what he had just learned.

"Well, at least there'll be less work when we go down that way now!" he said.

"Hmph! Why do they keep appearing? Once we take them out, shouldn't they be gone for good? I swear, it's like they never end!" I said in exasperation.

Axel just smiled at my expense as he headed toward the path I had just come from. I walked with him as we descended the hill, the view slowly disappearing. No more Heartless showed up down the path, as I had taken them all out already. It was actually nice to walk without Heartless constantly appearing for once!

As we reached the bottom of the hill, I took out a few more groups of Heartless as we made our way through the other side of Sunset Terrace. Coming to the opposite side of the only flat part of the area, I could sense the big Heartless coming before it did. Appearing out of the ground like the Shadows did, a Darkside slowly formed before us, growing many times taller than our height. As soon as it had finished rising, it immediately reached its' hand down toward us.

Axel and I split, jumping opposite ways to avoid it. He summoned his chakrams as I summoned my Keyblade.

"Ready for this?" Axel yelled to me across the space.

"Only always!" I yelled back.

The battle began. Axel jumped at the Darkside from one end, slashing it with his chakrams, as I leaped from the other, getting in a few good hits of my own. I leaped back a good distance, and threw a darkness ball at it. It hit it straight in the hip. That seemed to upset it, as it then turned its' full attention toward me.

"Uh oh" I muttered, stepping back a few paces.

It began forming a huge ball of darkness between its' hands. I dismissed my Keyblade in anticipation of having to dodge. Sure enough, a moment later, it launched the large swirling mass straight at me. I leaped to the side, narrowly missing it.

"Two can play at that game!" I yelled at it.

Calling on the darkness within me, my body became engulfed in the familiar glows of green and purple. I began forming a large darkness ball of my own. The same as it had just launched at me. Once it reached full size, I sent it straight at the Darkside.

Axel watched from his position diagonal of me as I unleashed barrage after barrage of dark and light powers. He thought about what Riku had said. The more I use the darkness, the closer I became to falling to darkness. He looked on worriedly as I used the darkness seamlessly with the light.

One of my larger blasts made direct contact with the Darkside, sending it reeling backward slightly, but not all the way over. _If only I could get to the other side and surprise it…_ I thought. Just as it recovered and began to reach its' hand toward me, I saw wisps of darkness suddenly envelop me, and then I was behind it.

"Woah!" I said, flailing my arms and falling over backward at the sudden change in position. What had just happened?!

Axel looked over at me in surprise for a moment, just as the Darkside turned around and made to pounce again.

"Look out!" he yelled.

I quickly got to my feet, and jumped out of the way just in time. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran straight at the Heartless with Axel, plunging right into its' side. That finally did the trick. It fell over and disappeared, releasing a heart. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Axel walked over to me as it dispersed, looking a little surprised, but also impressed.

"What… what just happened?" I asked him, looking at my hands. "I thought about getting to the other side, and suddenly I was behind it!".

Axel merely smirked. "You teleported" he said simply.

I looked at him in disbelief. "I… what?" I said incredulously.

He just grinned. "You never cease to amaze…" he said finally. He changed gears. "So, you wanna take the train over to the main part of town to get ice cream?".

I looked up at him in surprise, and then smiled. "I'd love to!" I said happily. I had never been on the train in Twilight Town.

After paying our fare, we boarded the small train from Sunset Station. There was no one else on board except us. As the train left the station, I looked out the window in awe as it ran along the tracks above the town. My eyes lit up seeing buildings of all shapes and sizes go by with the auburn tint of the sun. It was beautiful. I must've looked like a kid in a candy store, with my face glued to the window.

After reaching the main station, we disembarked and bought ice cream before heading up the clock tower. Arriving on the ledge, we sat down to look at the sunset. It was a different angle than from Sunset Hill, but this view beat all others. I could barely see the small hill off in the distance now. Taking a bite of my ice cream, I enjoyed its' salty, yet sweet taste. It always tasted better after a tough mission.

A moment later, Roxas appeared around the ledge, and sat down in his spot.

"Hey guys!" he said cheerfully as usual. "How'd the mission go?".

"Megs here teleported!" said Axel excitedly.

"You did what?!" said Roxas incredulously, looking at me.

I blushed, looking at the two of them.

"So, you can finally create corridors, huh?" said Roxas after composing himself.

"What?" I asked, as I took the final bite of my ice cream.

"It's the same power" said Axel matter-of-factly. "If you can teleport, you can create Corridors of Darkness. It's that simple".

I took a breath in, surprise and excitement appearing across my face as my eyes lit up. Was it true? Had I finally gained the ability to use Corridors of Darkness? I must've looked overly excited as the two of them smiled at me.

"So" said Axel. "You wanna create the Corridor back to the castle? Just think about where you want to go like last time, and it'll appear".

I looked at him, and then at Roxas. They both smiled at me encouragingly. I stood up at my end of the clock tower, and turned to the opposite side of Roxas where there was open space. Putting my hand out like I had seen the others do, I thought about creating a Corridor back to the castle. To my surprise, a large swirling mass appeared in front of me. It was so big that it startled me at first, causing me to take a step back.

"Woah, be careful…" said Roxas concerned behind me. We were up really high.

I looked back at them, a grin across my face. I had done it! I had finally done it! I had created a Corridor of Darkness!

"Well, shall we?" said Axel.

I nodded, turning to walk toward the swirling mass. I was filled with pride as I walked through.

* * *

Finally! The power to create Corridors of Darkness! She's finally achieved it! Wahoo!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please review to let me know what you thought!

Until next time! :)


	33. Chapter 32 - Rematch

Hey everyone!

Anyone playing through Kingdom Hearts Union Cross? Seems to be taking FOREVER to play through for me. What's the secret?

Anyways, here's chapter 32!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 32 - Rematch**

Waking up the next morning, I was filled with pride. I had actually done it. I had created a Corridor on my own. It was like a dream come true.

I wasn't helpless anymore. If anyone tried to capture me again, I could just portal away from wherever they took me. I felt a real sense of accomplishment in myself. I felt like a force to be reckoned with.

Getting up from the bed, I headed toward the common area. Seeing a paper posted on the wall, I curiously walked up to and read it. 'Vacation. No missions today.' it said. I turned to walk over to the alcove when a slim figure suddenly appeared in my path.

"Hello, Megan" said Larxene, looking at me with a cruel smirk.

 _Uh oh,_ I thought. Had she found about the water incident from the other day? I looked at her nervously as she eyed me mischievously. I didn't want to be on the receiving end of her temper. Just as I was about to ask what she wanted, she grabbed me by the hair on the back of the head, and started dragging me along with her.

"Ow! Hey! Larxene! What are you doing?!" I protested as I was pulled along sideways.

She merely smirked at me, pulling me into the common area. I was gonna go there anyway, but really?! She pulled me toward a set of couches near the front on the far side of where we had entered. I looked up, trying to see who was sitting there, but she had me at such an angle that all I could see where the bottom halves of Organization coats. Once we reached the couches, she released me as I fell into a chair.

"Larxene, I said to ask politely if she wanted to join us…" sighed Luxord.

"Hmph. I got her over here, didn't I?" Larxene retorted back, taking her own seat.

Getting myself situated, and rubbing the back of my head, I looked around to see who all was sitting there. On my left was Larxene, beside her was Lexaeus, Luxord sat across from me, and Marluxia was to my right. All except Luxord looked at me with only slight interest; they seemed more interested in the cards on the table.

"Megan, welcome" began Luxord. "I propose a rematch to our previous hand of cards. The game is Poker this time. Interested?".

Why, oh why did I always have to be dragged over for a game of cards? Did no one here know how to ask politely? I sighed, and looked up at Luxord with a grin.

"You're on!" I said competitively with confidence.

Luxord picked up the deck of cards sitting on the table, and began shuffling them. Then he dealt five cards to each of us. Picking up my lot, I saw I had… nothing. I had a three of hearts, five of clubs, ten of spades, jack of clubs, and five of hearts.

It was time for betting. Marluxia began, putting ten munny into the pot. Then it was my turn. Not wanting to look like I had nothing, I called, adding ten munny of my own. Larxene raised by fifteen munny, bringing it up to twenty-five. She must've had a good hand. Lexaeus followed, calling as well.

Then we went around again, everybody calling this time, and adding their respective amounts to the pot. Now it was time to discard. I had to figure out how I was gonna do this. When it came to my turn, I looked at my cards briefly, and went to discard the ten of spades, and jack of clubs.

Looking up at the others with my best poker face, I put my fingers on the cards to discard. When I looked down to pull them however, I wasn't holding the two cards I had thought I was holding. All the other cards were the same, but my fingers were on a ten of spades, and four of hearts now. I blinked a couple times, looking at it. Was I sleepy? Did I not get enough rest the previous night? I could've sworn that was a jack of clubs a moment ago…

Staring at the card in my hand, I quickly changed to pull the ten of spades and five of clubs. I must've imagined the jack of clubs. I actually had a better hand than I thought! Picking up two more cards after discarding, I got a three of clubs and four of clubs. That didn't do me much good. It looked like my highest was three of a kind.

Everyone went around the table, discarded, and went around the table again with more bets. Lexaeus and Marluxia folded. It was myself, Larxene, and Luxord. We all displayed our hands.

I showed my three of a kind, as Larxene displayed a full house, and then Luxord four of a kind. I was beaten. Lowest on the totem pole. Larxene didn't look too impressed at being beaten by Luxord. I thought for a moment that her temper might come out. She huffed, but then put her game face on again. I never did know what was going on in her mind, and most times, I didn't want to.

"Hmm… it seems the first hand's yours Luxord" she said. "Better watch out, I came pretty close to beating you that time!".

Luxord merely grinned slightly, not giving anything away about what he was thinking. He passed the deck to Marluxia to deal next, and then looked in my direction.

"A good start, Megan" he said approvingly. "It would seem you have luck on your side".

I looked at him, returning his compliment with a nod. _Hopefully I'll be able to use that luck…_ I thought. _As long as I don't go seeing different cards that aren't actually in my hand…_ Seriously, how had that happened? One second there was one card in my hand, and then when I went to draw it, it was a different card. Was I hallucinating or something?

The next hand went much the same, with Luxord holding the highest hand once again. I was trying to figure out if he had luck on his side, or if he was simply masterful with choosing the appropriate cards to discard, and knew the chances of what he was going to get. Lexaeus sighed as his pair was defeated, and Marluxia showed no emotion. It seemed they were just as displeased at losing to him as I was.

A few hands later, the tide turned, and I was dealt four of a kind. Four of a kind! That was almost the best hand you could get! When the cards were revealed, I had the highest. A wide smile appeared across my face. I had finally won!

The others saw my grin, and half-laughed to themselves.

"Don't go getting too cocky now, Megan" said Marluxia in his deep, mysterious voice. "The game is only just getting started…".

I looked at him, my grin disappearing, being replaced by a poker face. Then I focused my attention back to Luxord. He was looking to Lexaeus, waiting for the cards to be dealt again. He had the power over cards, and I guessed that his affinity for card games was part of the reason for it. I wondered how he had gained such ability?

"Luxord?" I asked him. He raised his glance, looking up at me. "How did you get so good at cards? It's your power as well, correct?".

He seemed mildly interested in this train of conversation. "Yes, I became quite good at gambling in general long ago. Cards became an interest later on, and are now an obsession of mine" he explained.

He was always careful with his words. I suppose that went with the territory of gambling, especially in a game like poker. Thus where the term 'poker face' came from. He was quite good at it. It benefitted him in many areas outside card games, I'm sure.

The following hands yielded various winners, myself included once or twice. Luxord of course won more than anyone else. Then that strange event happened again. A card in my hand changed from when I put my finger on it, to when I actually went to discard it. Was it a coincidence? I pushed it off as lack of sleep, and continued on with the game.

I didn't win that game, but it was still fun. Seeing everyone in such a competitive mood, as opposed to their usual facades, was refreshing. It was nice to see a different side from the usual mission-going members. The next game was about to begin, when I head a familiar voice come from beside me.

"Mind if we join?" said Axel cockily.

"Not at all" said Luxord calmly. "The more players, the better".

Axel and Roxas both walked past, giving me a friendly smile as they went by. Two more seats were added between Marluxia and myself, and they sat down.

"Not pulling any fast ones on you are they, Megan?" said Axel friendlily.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Luxord here's got the power to control cards, remember? You sure he's not _cheating_?" Axel said teasingly, more to Luxord, but looking at me.

Luxord clearly took offense to this.

"I would do no such thing" proclaimed Luxord. "I am a gentleman. Cheating is beneath me".

"I don't know…" said Axel tauntingly, now looking at Luxord. "Make sure he doesn't pull any fast ones on you, Megan".

"Hmph. _I_ actually have standards, unlike some people…" Luxord retorted back.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" said Axel innocently.

"Now, now, boys" said Larxene. "Play nice".

Roxas and I giggled, watching the two of them staunchly opposed to each other.

"Shall we get on with the game?" Marluxia interjected.

"Oh, sure" said Axel, switching to a completely nonchalant attitude, and breaking eye contact with Luxord. "I'm looking forward to this".

The seven of us played a few hands, Axel making subtle hints that Luxord was cheating every now and then. Larxene kept her game face on the whole time, Marluxia as well. Lexaeus had the best poker face of all, though I'm not sure you'd call it a poker face; it seemed to just be his regular calm expression. He never said a word, other than grunting a few times to indicate his position. Roxas and I couldn't help but laugh at the antics happening in front of us.

The games ended up being mostly won by Luxord as usual, but the rest of us got a few wins in here and there.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today" said Axel, standing up. "I've certainly had my fill".

Roxas and I stood up after him, all of us walking away from the grouping of couches. Once we had come to a private area across the room, Axel spoke.

"So, where to Megs?" he asked.

" _I_ get to choose?" I said, surprised. I had given up on protesting the nickname; he was going to use it whenever he wanted to…

"Let's say we're celebrating your accomplishment on finally gaining the power to create a Dark Corridor" he said encouragingly.

I smiled. "Well, in that case…" I began.

I reached out my hand, and proudly opened a Corridor.

"I wonder where that leads…" said Roxas teasingly. He seemed like he already knew.

I giggled, and then we all walked through. Arriving on the beach at Destiny Islands, I breathed in the cool mist of the ocean.

"I figured as much…" sighed Roxas after we arrived. I looked at him and smiled.

"What? There's never any missions here, so I don't get to see it a lot" I said happily.

We made our way to the bent palm tree. Sitting there, we looked out at the ocean as the sun glistened off it.

"It's always beautiful here, every time we come" said Roxas calmly. He seemed to be enjoying the ocean breeze as it rustled his hair. We all sat and stared out in silence. After a few moments, I looked over at Axel and Roxas.

They seemed to be enjoying themselves. I was glad. It was times like these that I cherished. I wondered what would happen when we finally completed Kingdom Hearts? When everyone got hearts, and became somebodies once again. I wondered what that would be like.

What was I saying? We were gonna find out! Not that they didn't really display emotions now as they were. Axel and Roxas definitely did, as well as many of the other members, but it was always just acting out emotions that they remembered from before; they didn't actually feel anything. I wondered what would happen once we completed Kingdom Hearts. To me.

Would everyone just go their separate ways? Because they were only Organized for that one goal? Who knew? The goal had never been achieved in the game, so these were completely foreign waters for me. I looked down and smiled, thinking about how Axel would be with REAL emotions. Probably even more crazy than he is now.

Roxas looked over and saw me grinning to myself.

"Hey! What's so funny?" he asked, smiling contentedly.

"Oh, nothing" I said. "I was just thinking about what we're gonna do after we complete Kingdom Hearts. What _I'm_ gonna do after you all get hearts of your own".

"You'll come with us of course" Axel piped in from the other side of Roxas. I bent over to look at him past Roxas.

"Oh? And what're we gonna do together? Have sea-salt ice cream every day?" I said sarcastically.

"Well, I don't know about _every_ day…" began Axel. "But I'm sure we'll figure out something. There are a lot of worlds out there".

"We can explore 'em together!" said Roxas happily.

I smiled.

"Sounds like a plan" I said.

* * *

Ah, another day off. Aren't they always so happy-go-lucky?

Hope you enjoyed.

Please leave a review letting me know what you thought!

Until next time!


	34. Chapter 33 - Beginning to Fall

Hey everyone!

Ugh, it's getting cold outside... I want summer back!

Anyways... here's chapter 33!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 33 – Beginning to Fall**

Another day, another mission. I sighed. How much longer would it be before we completed Kingdom Hearts? It just got bigger and bigger in the sky. Guess we would find out when the time came. Getting up from the bed, I headed out the door.

On arrival at the common area, I walked up to Saïx, who was sporting his usual somber expression.

"Megan, today you will be going to the Land of Dragons with Xigbar" he stated.

Just as I turned around to look for him, he appeared, and wrapping his arm around my shoulder, pulled me close beside him.

"Wah!" I said, almost losing my balance at being pulled sideways so suddenly. He was way too excited…

"So! Goin' on a mission with the number two himself, huh?" he said. "Pretty exciting, am I right?".

I looked at his one eye, giving a weak smile, but not really sure what to say as he held me there.

"It seems our little Megan has blossomed! Heard you created a Dark Corridor the other day!" he said after an awkward silence.

"Uh… yeah" I said. He had such an eccentric personality; I didn't know how to respond.

"Alright then" he said, removing his arm from around my shoulder. "You can create the Corridor for the mission today! Take us to the city!".

"Sure…" I said.

I put my hand out, and thought of the city in the Land of Dragons. A Dark Corridor appeared in few feet in front of me. Xigbar walked up beside me.

"Okie dokie. We're off!" he said.

We walked through the swirling mass I had created, and came out in a brightly lit town on the other side. We were on a side street of sorts; a thin alleyway with various colours of lanterns hanging off the buildings. They all had Chinese characters on them.

As we walked through the streets, a few groups of small Shadow Heartless appeared, and I made quick work of them. After making our way down more small streets than I was able to count, we came into a square of sorts. There were many smaller streets leading off of it, but I knew that we wouldn't just be able to cross without a fight. Sure enough, a group of Heartless appeared. A bunch of Air Pirates and Nightwalkers. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran at them.

As I was working on one side, I heard shots fired from behind me at the other. Glancing back briefly, I saw Xigbar had summoned his Arrowgun rifles, and was taking out Heartless with barely any effort. He was clearly enjoying himself as he jumped from this side to that, the bullets from his rifle effortlessly finding their way to the Heartless. He was directing the space to make the bullets go where he wanted. He noticed me glance in his direction.

"Didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?" he said sarcastically, smirking.

I gave him a slightly surprised look before returning to my own battle. Most of the members I had been on missions with always made me take care of the small fry on my own. It seemed Xigbar was genuinely enjoying this though. Freeshooter was a good title for him. I just hoped he didn't accidentally hit me in all his enthusiasm.

As I took out the last one, he shot off a few more rounds, dispersing the last of the Heartless on the other side.

"Wew! That was a good battle!" he said enthusiastically, his one eye growing wide with excitement.

All I could do was sigh and smile as I dismissed my Keyblade. I didn't know what to make of him, but the mission was definitely going to be easier with two doing the work. Looking around at the selection of streets to pick from, we opted for the one directly across from where we had entered. He dismissed his rifles, and we walked down another narrow street lined with small lanterns.

Coming out on the side of the main square, the palace entrance was to our left. There were two guards stationed at the door; we made sure to stay out of their sight. Xigbar motioned silently for me to follow him closely along the sides of the buildings where we had come out, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

The buildings led to a small alleyway that ran alongside the palace wall. We ducked into it, slipping past the guards. There looked to be a door on the side to the inner courtyard, which we quietly opened, tiptoeing through. I didn't like all this sneaking around, but it seemed to be the Organization's MO. Being covert while on a mission was of the utmost importance.

Walking along the inner side of the wall, we came up to, and entered the main palace building. It was quite grandiose upon entering. The ceilings were at least two stories tall, and there were large pillars on opposite sides of a long red carpet in the center. Strangely enough, there was no one around. I suppose they figured the guards at the main entrance were enough.

As we walked down the thin hallway, Heartless appeared in our path. This time, it was a bunch of Hook Bats and Rapid Thrusters. I summoned my Keyblade and ran at them, as I heard Xigbar call his rifles and begin shooting beside me. The battle began.

I slashed at a few Rapid Thrusters, dispersing them without much effort. Another one made a run right at me. I jumped back to avoid it, landing in front of another group just as I heard firing from Xigbar's rifle. Turning around, I saw the bullets fire from his gun straight at me.

I froze. Gasping and squeezing my eyes shut, I turned my head sideways, hoping for the best. The bullets followed the path that my head had taken, curving past, and hitting the Heartless I had avoided on the other side of the room. I hadn't noticed, as my eyes were still closed. They stayed that way for a minute or so.

Xigbar seemed to be at a loss for words. He stood there, dumbfounded, bringing his weapon up to inspect it. _He_ hadn't curved that bullet; it was set to go straight in that direction. Putting his weapon down, and looking back at me, he saw something.

My eyes were still squeezed shut, but there were slight wisps of darkness flitting around me. They only stayed there for a moment before disappearing. When Xigbar saw my eyes start to open, he returned to his usual façade. I opened my eyes carefully, fearing that more bullets may have been coming my way. When I saw none were, I relaxed.

"That was a close one!" said Xigbar casually. "Lucky it missed!". He didn't give any indication about what he had just seen.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around, I gauged the situation. Xigbar was standing across from me, and there were a few Heartless a short distance up the hall. That had been a close one. I looked at Xigbar briefly before turning and heading to take out the remaining Heartless.

As I took out the last one, I heard clapping from behind me.

"Well done!" said Xigbar out of nowhere. He walked up to join me.

I dismissed my Keyblade, and looked at him.

"Um, I appreciate the help… but, can you try _not_ to shoot at me in future? That was way too close for comfort" I said.

"Ah, you survived, didn't ya?" he said nonchalantly. "You know I wouldn't _purposely_ shoot at you".

He didn't seem bothered by it at all. He just smiled and continued on through the hallway, rustling my hair slightly as he walked by. I ducked as he did, shoving his hand off, and giving him a dirty look. Why did they always feel the need to do that? I knew I was short, but really?!

We cleared out all the Heartless in the main building before heading back out to the inner courtyard. Walking straight across this time, I sensed a strong presence forming in front of us. A few seconds later, we were struck by gale force winds as a large Heartless descended from above. After the wind had died down, I saw that a Storm Rider had landed in front of us, its giant wings outstretched.

There was no time to waste. This was a boss-level Heartless. We had to get in there, and get as many shots in before it took off. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran directly at it, and leaped in the air.

"Haaaah!" I yelled in a battle cry.

I came down on its back, pounding my Keyblade into it, before landing back on the ground. I had made the first move. It screamed in anger, and took off from the ground, flying around in the sky above the courtyard. I watched as it made circles above us.

Xigbar aimed his rifles at it, and shot off a few rounds. They hit dead on, causing it to cry out once more. Instead of agony as one would expect, that seemed to have pissed it off. All of a sudden, it tucked its winged and made a beeline straight for us, beak-first.

The both of us ran back about ten feet to avoid being hit. It struck the ground with such force that it shook violently. The tiles under where it had hit were shattered. It slowly recovered itself, pulling its beak out from the ground.

I took the opportunity to attack again. Running toward its weakened body, I slashed at it multiple times. It slowly got up as I finished another barrage. Jumping back, I sent a fireball straight at its face, followed by thunder.

If the magic had affected it much, it didn't show any sign of it. It merely rose up to its full height, staring us down. We must've looked like tiny little specks to it. It rose past the height of the castle walls around us!

As it let out another battle cry, we were accosted by a strong wind. I didn't wait to see what it had planned next. Not caring how tall it was, I ran straight at it, Keyblade at the ready. Jumping as high as I could, I struck its lower torso.

Once I had landed on the ground below, I heard shots fired by Xigbar's rifles. The Heartless above me wailed. We were taking it down.

"One more attack should do it!" Xigbar yelled to me.

I turned back around to face it, newfound adrenaline running through me as I knew the battle was almost over. Jumping up one last time, I slashed as strongly as I could, landing back down on the ground below afterward. The Heartless froze for a second, before dispersing in a flurry of darkness, and releasing a heart. The battle was over.

"Alright!" said Xigbar excitedly. "Another mission done!".

We both dismissed our weapons and walked to rejoin each other.

"That was a tough one, huh?" said Xigbar to me.

"I've had tougher" I said back.

Xigbar merely smirked and opened a portal back to the castle. He watched me as I walked through, and followed after. Arriving back in the common room, Xigbar walked off. I looked around to see if Axel or Roxas were back yet, but they were nowhere to be seen.

 _Wait a minute,_ I thought. _I can create Corridors now!_ With that thought, I thought of the clock tower in Twilight Town, reached my hand out, and a Dark Corridor appeared. I walked through.

Coming out near the ledge at the top of the clock tower, I was happy to see both Roxas and Axel already sitting there.

"You made it!" said Roxas happily. He handed me a stick of sea-salt ice cream once I had taken my place on the ledge.

"Yeah" I said, smiling at him. He was always in such a good mood. It was contagious.

I took a bite out of my ice cream before speaking again.

"Man, the mission with Xigbar today was hard!" I said. "We had to take out a Storm Rider in the Land of Dragons! You know Xigbar nearly shot me?!".

"He what now?" said Axel.

"Yeah" I began. "Luckily it missed, but it came way too close for comfort…".

"Xigbar can get a little carried away sometimes. You'd best watch your back when on a mission with that guy" said Axel seriously. "He's nearly up and shot me a couple times!".

I looked at Axel in surprise. "You've been on a mission with him?" I said.

"Yeah" he said. "We've all been on missions with everyone at some point or other. Kinda goes with the job".

"I see…" I said.

* * *

"The power inside Megan's overwhelming her body; her emotions are making it more than she can handle. If you wanna continue making use of it, she'll have to become a Nobody, and soon" Xigbar reported from his throne.

"We've known since the beginning that the power would eventually overwhelm her. She will need to become a Nobody to unlock its' potential, and fulfill her true purpose with us" said Saïx.

"If she falls to darkness, the power inside her'll go poof, just like that" said Xigbar, reaching his hand up in the air, and closing it, to motion something vanishing. "Never to be seen again".

Xemnas spoke then. "Vexen, can you develop a serum that will enable her to retain all that she is, without losing all she's learned?" he said calmly.

"Yes, I am working on it now" said Vexen methodically. "What about releasing her heart? Only a Keyblade can do that".

"Roxas will take care of that for us all on his own" said Saïx. "He won't let her fall to darkness".

* * *

And... things are about to go south.

Hope you enjoyed this one!

As always, please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	35. Chapter 34 - Breakpoint

Hi everyone!

WOW. This chapter ended up being REALLY LONG. This is my longest work yet!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 34 - Breakpoint**

I woke up in bed the next morning. What a day yesterday had been. That had been my first mission with Xigbar; that guy was like a loose cannon! Every member was different I suppose. They all had their own distinct personalities. I'd say Larxene and Xigbar would be ones to avoid from now on. They were kind of scary.

Arriving in the common area a short while later, I walked up to Saïx. He was looking at his clipboard as I approached. He looked up, emotionlessly as usual, noticing my presence.

"Megan, today you will be teamed up with Roxas and Axel again" he said. "You will be going to Beasts' Castle to take care of a large Heartless. Leave immediately".

I turned around, looking for my friends. They were walking up the centre of the room smiling at me.

"Looks like the three of us are teamed up again!" said Axel cheerfully once they reached me.

"Yup!" I said happily. "Shall we head out?".

"Lead the way" said Axel, motioning his hand to the side, indicating I create the Corridor.

I reached my hand out, creating the swirling mass that would lead to Beasts' Castle. Once it had fully formed, I looked to Roxas and Axel, who both nodded. It had become like second nature creating Corridors now. Looking around the room again briefly before departing, we entered it.

We came out on the bridge of Beasts' Castle. The dark wispy fog that surrounded the bridge had always creeped me out; not to mention that pretty much every time I had been here, it had been under false pretences. Larxene had attacked me, forcing me to use the darkness for the first time. And then Xaldin had pinned me to the inner wall of the gatehouse during our battle. They weren't the best of visits, but I never would've grown as strong as I had had they not happened.

"Alright" began Axel. "Mission this time's in the castle. There's a big bad Heartless in there to be taken care of".

 _We actually get to go_ inside _the castle this time?_ I thought. _This should be interesting…_

We walked across the bridge, heading for the main door. I was flanked by Axel to my right, and Roxas to my left. The three of us were confident together on missions. We were a good team.

"Is the Beast going to be around?" I asked as we walked. "This is his castle after all…".

"I doubt it" said Axel. "On the numerous occasions we've been in the castle, we've only run into him once. It's such a large castle that even if he is home, we're unlikely to run into him".

We reached the front entrance and opened the door. I walked in quietly. To my surprise, there was no one around in the large foyer. We were greeted by a dark empty hallway with stairs at the end.

The grandeur of it was astonishing. On our left and right were tall cylindrical pillars reaching two stories high. In front of us was a wide purple runner carpet leading up to the large staircase at the end. There were candelabras along the side, lighting the way in the dimly lit castle, and a few doors behind the pillars on either side. The stairs on the far side went up a story, before splitting off and going left and right up to the second story of the castle.

We began walking along the carpet. It wasn't long before a horde of Heartless appeared ahead of us. A bunch of Mega-Shadows, Soldiers, and Large Bodies. I summoned my Keyblade and ran at them, Roxas and Axel not far behind.

All three of us ran right into the middle of the fray. I took out a couple of Soldiers, and Axel threw his chakrams, taking out some Mega-Shadows. Roxas went after the Large Bodies, getting behind a couple and hitting their weak spots. They disappeared a few slashes of his Keyblade later. The three of us backed up against each other in a triangle formation in the centre, readying for the next round.

All of us then pushed off in different directions, going at more Heartless.

"Haaaah!" I yelled, bringing my Keyblade up to attack.

I took out the rest of the Mega-Shadows in the group, while Axel and Roxas defeated the Large Bodies and Soldiers on the other side. Coming back together, we were all slightly fatigued, but no worse for wear.

"So, right into it, huh?" I said, dismissing my Keyblade.

"Phew! It'd seem so!" Roxas sighed, also dismissing his Keyblade.

Axel just smiled at his two shorter companions, dismissing his chakrams in turn. We all looked at each other happily, and then continued on. Entering the door on the right side of the long entranceway, we came into the parlour. It was a small room, but Heartless didn't care about that.

There was a large fireplace at the opposite end of where we entered, and a couple tables around. A large carpet in the centre completed the homey look. As soon as we entered, a small group of Shadows appeared in front of us. I took them in no time at all; they were hardly a challenge now.

Coming back out into the entranceway, we made our way to the large staircase, taking out small groups of Heartless as they appeared in our path. We ascended and climbed the left staircase, entering the door at the top. The next room we entered was even grander than the previous, if that was possible. I had to stop to admire its magnificence.

This was the West Hall; the largest area of the castle, if I remembered correctly from the game. In front of us was a slim hallway lined with suits of armour that led to a larger, more open area. We passed through the initial hallway, while I looked out of the corner of my eye the entire time. I had seen too many movies where the suits of armour came to life to not keep an eye on them. They didn't make any moves.

We came into the main part of the West Hall. It had double height ceilings, a door to the dungeon off to the left, and an ornate staircase to the right.

"I'm curious about something…" I began as we walked.

"What is it?" asked Roxas.

"Why do these big Heartless keep appearing that we have to take out?" I asked. "I know Saïx sends us to take them out because it means more hearts for Kingdom Hearts, and also to keep the population down, but what makes them appear? I've never really understood it".

"The darkness in the worlds wills them forth" said Axel. I looked at him. "The more darkness in the people's hearts of a world, the more Heartless show up. Simple as that". He paused. "There must've been quite the ordeal here for this one to have appeared; that's how it works on all worlds".

"So, that Powered Armour that appeared in Twilight Town…?" I began.

"Same thing. Twilight Town's a haven for them for some reason" Axel replied. "Anywhere the darkness can get in, it will".

Just as we came into the centre of the hall by the staircase, a whole bunch of Heartless appeared around us. They could never decide when to appear could they? Sometimes it was in small groups here and there, others all at once. We all summoned our weapons.

"Ready for this one, Megs?" asked Axel.

I glared at him, half-grinning. "Never gonna drop the nickname, are ya?" I retorted back.

"Nope" he replied, grinning.

Roxas just laughed. His expression changed though as he looked past me. "Look out behind you!" he yelled.

I turned around quickly and slashed at a Mega-Shadow that had been almost upon me. It fell back, weakened by my attack.

"Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's get this over with" said Axel, grinning as he went after some other Heartless.

I ran after the Mega-Shadow that had almost attacked me, taking it out a few slashes later. Looking around at what we were dealing with, I saw there was a mix of Bad Dogs, Hook Bats, and a Morning Star. We'd have to be careful with that last one. It could be dangerous.

I went after the Bad Dogs first, jumping and hitting them down to the ground one after another until they all disappeared, releasing hearts. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Axel summon flames to his chakrams and toss them toward some of the Hook Bats. I dismissed my Keyblade, and sent a blast of darkness at the others. It hit one, taking it out. There were still a few left.

Spinning around to get more momentum, I went to send a large blast of darkness toward the others. As I began to turn around however, it wasn't darkness that appeared between my hands, but flames! And not the kind from a fire spell; they were much larger than that. Completing my turn, the flames creating a trail of orange as I went, I sent it with both hands at the Hook Bats. The blast of fire hit them head on, all of them disappearing into nothingness.

Axel and Roxas looked at me incredulously. I looked at my hands; had _I_ just done that? There was no time to contemplate it. The Morning Star was coming toward us. Axel and Roxas joined me as we ran toward it. I summoned my Keyblade back mid-run.

Sliding underneath it, I sliced straight along its belly as I went by. It made a loud screeching sound as I came out behind it. Axel and Roxas were attacking the front. A few moments later, it began spinning faster than the eye could see. I had assumed it would go forward, but was taken by surprise when it rolled straight back toward me.

It hit head on, sending me flying backward and sliding across the room. My Keyblade flew to the opposite wall and disappeared.

"Ngh!" I grimaced, sitting up.

"Megan!" I heard Roxas yell worriedly.

"I'm alright! Keep on it!" I yelled back.

I got to my feet, determined to get back in the battle. Running at the Morning Star, I placed my hands to my right side, forming flames again, and thrust them straight across the Heartless in a line, slight wisps of darkness appearing and disappearing around me that I didn't take notice of. The flames did major damage to it before they dissipated. Roxas came in and gave a few slashes, and Axel sent his chakrams flying at it for the final blow. Its large body disappeared moments later, releasing a heart.

The battle was over. Stepping back, I looked at my hands. How had I done that? It wasn't a fire spell, of that much I was sure.

"How did you do that?" said Roxas walking up to me. Axel wasn't far behind; his expression looked serious.

"I… don't know" I said. "I went to send a blast of darkness, but flames came out instead…".

"Those are the same flames that I use" said Axel seriously. He looked at me, contemplating for a moment before speaking again. "You said yesterday that Xigbar shot right at you, but it missed".

"Yeah. He said it was luck" I said, not sure where he was going with this.

"I don't think it was luck" said Axel seriously. "I think you used his power over space to change the path of the bullet".

"What?!" I said, shocked. "How can that be? How could I have that power?".

"I don't know. But if you had that power with him yesterday, and now my power today…" Axel began, contemplating.

"Are you saying that I can control others' elements?" I said incredulously. "Like, control Demyx's water, or Larxene's lightning?". I paused. "Wait a minute. The other day when we were playing cards with Luxord, my hand changed".

"What do you mean?" Roxas piped in.

"Sometimes when I went to pick a card, it changed to a better one. I thought I was imagining things, and wrote it off as lack of sleep" I said.

"Wait a minute, the cards changed?! You mean YOU were cheating?!" said Axel, less serious and more surprised now.

"No, no, no!" I said desperately, waving my hands in front of me frantically. "I didn't know what was happening then!".

"Sure ya didn't..." said Axel, no longer serious, but playfully suspicious, a sly smile appearing across his face.

I ran up to him, trying to punch him in the chest lightly to get back at him, but he just grabbed my wrists, holding them so I couldn't get anywhere near. I gave up trying to fight his grip a few moments later, and he released me. Roxas just giggled beside us. I pouted, but then couldn't help but smile looking at the two of them. After a short silence, Roxas spoke.

"So, I guess this is another one of your powers, huh?" he said.

Axel's face went serious again. "It would seem so…" he said. "Just be careful, ok? Dark powers aren't something to mess around with for a Somebody".

"Got it" I said solemnly.

After taking out Heartless in the small rooms off the hall we were in, we headed back to the main entry hall for the Ballroom. We hadn't run into the big Heartless in the castle yet, and that was likely where it would be. Opening the large double doors at the meeting of the staircases, we entered the grand ballroom. We were immediately blinded by the bright light of the huge chandelier hanging over the space.

"Wow…" I said quietly as we walked in.

It was enormous. A golden-coloured floor gave way to tall pillars surrounding the room in a circular pattern. No detail was spared; there were candles lighting each pillar, and double-height glass at the opposite side leading out to a balcony. As we walked further into the room, I felt a dark presence develop.

"It's coming" I said.

Axel, Roxas, and I readied ourselves, summoning our weapons. Sure enough, out from the floor came a large blob of a Heartless. It flew up into the air, and floated there. Darkly coloured, with chains hanging off it, and darkness oozing out of it, it surveyed the three of us. It was a Shadow Stalker.

 _Uh oh_ I thought. This was the big bad Heartless of Beasts' Castle. It could control everything in the room. And it had two forms to boot.

The Shadow Stalker hissed its cry, and the entire room was shrouded in darkness. The floor, the windows, and the ceiling. Everything changed to a dark colour as the room changed from bright to dim in seconds.

"Be on the lookout" said Axel. "This one looks nasty".

All three of us looked around to try and spot the Heartless, but it was nowhere to be found. In the next moment, and without warning, the pillars of the room began to attack us. One side, then the other. They came right out of the ceiling, and moved like they were made of rubber.

We jumped out of the way just in time, narrowly missing being struck. Once the pillars were done attacking, a bright light appearing the middle of the room, and the Heartless was at the centre of it.

"There!" I yelled.

We all ran at it, Roxas and I jumping into the air to come down on it from above. Direct hit. It squealed as our Keyblades made contact, and Axel attacked it from the side with his Chakrams. It released a bout of dark energy, and sent us all flying back, landing a distance away on our feet. Then it disappeared again.

This time the chandelier came down into the middle of the room. We had been standing near it, and jumped back just in time to avoid being hit.

"Woah!" exclaimed Roxas as we got out of the way.

"Be careful!" Axel yelled to us.

It appeared again in the centre once the chandelier was back in place on the ceiling. I wasn't taking any chances this time. Dismissing my Keyblade, I spun around a threw some of Axel's flames straight at it. They engulfed it, causing major damage. Axel saw the attack, and also saw wisps of darkness appear and disappear around me this time.

"Megan, be careful!" he yelled from across the room.

Summoning my Keyblade again, I ran straight at it.

"Haaah!" I yelled, jumping up into the air above it.

I landed directly on top, coming down with as much force as I could while the others did the same. It froze. First form down. We backed away.

In the next moment, it covered itself in a sphere of what looked like dark bandages, and then emerged once again. This time it looked more like an Invisible, but it was a Dark Thorn. It had red extremities, claws, and a cape of sorts hanging off it, in addition to what the Invisible looked like. It galloped around the room, and went invisible.

"Round two!" said Axel.

Axel, Roxas, and I, our weapons still in our grasp, ran after it, attacking as much as we could when we could find it. It came up behind Roxas and slashed with its claws from behind. He was sent flying across the room.

"Roxas!" I yelled.

I saw its outline appear against one of the pillars. This was my chance. Dismissing my Keyblade, I spun around and sent more flames at it. Direct hit again. This was working.

"Megan, be careful!" Axel yelled. He saw more wisps of darkness appear around me than before.

I wasn't listening. The attack was effective. I spun around and sent more flames at it, again and again. It was nearly down. The darkness wisps were almost engulfing my body now, but I couldn't see them in the rage of the battle.

"Megan, stop!" Axel yelled desperately.

I released all the power within me.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled.

A bright, white light was released from within my body engulfing the entire room. Axel and Roxas covered their eyes from the blinding light. The Heartless screeched in terror as it dispersed into nothingness from the light attack, and released a heart. Then the blinding light subsided, and I fell to the ground, unable to move, the dark wisps enveloping my body not disappearing. I could barely see anything over darkness flitting around me. Axel and Roxas rushed over to me.

"What's… going on?" I said in a daze, confused.

They stood over me, worried looks on their faces. Roxas looked to Axel.

"What's happening to her?" he said.

"She's falling to darkness" Axel replied. "She used too much power".

Roxas' head fell back in shock. He looked back down at me. Axel then picked me up under the knees and upper back. I had no strength to do anything.

"We've gotta get you back to the castle" he said.

He then opened a Corridor, and walked through with me. Roxas followed, still with a worried look on his face. Coming out in the middle of the common area, he laid me down on the ground. A few Organization members rushed over; Xigbar was among them. He took one look at what was happening to me, and then took control of the situation.

"Get Vexen!" he turned and yelled to someone behind him.

"Megan, stay with us!" said Axel. "Fight it!".

I was having trouble staying conscious. Everything was telling me to close my eyes. Close them, and it would all be over. The struggle would end. I could barely hear my friend's voices over all the darkness swirling around me.

"Megan! Don't give in to it!" said Roxas desperately. "You can beat this!".

Vexen appeared a minute later with a syringe. He plunged it into my arm, and injected the contents. Roxas simply looked at me with fear all over his face. Vexen then spoke.

"Roxas, you must release her heart before she falls to darkness. The serum I have just administered will ensure that her current body becomes the Nobody. Essentially she will only lose her heart" he said urgently.

Roxas stared at him, and then looked at me in desperation. Tears were now streaming from my eyes, running down the sides of my face.

"It's okay" I managed to croak out. "Do it".

"But I'll be taking away from you, what we've always wanted… You won't be whole anymore…" he said quietly.

"It's okay" I said. "I'd rather be a Nobody… than fall to darkness". I paused. "Ngh!" I grimaced, scrunching my face up as the darkness enveloped me even more.

My body tensed, and then fell limp. My eyes closed. Everything went dark. I was falling in a void of complete blackness.

I couldn't hear or see anything. Everyone was gone. It was quiet all around me. It felt like I was falling into an endless abyss.

Had anything I'd done made any difference? Had I helped them complete Kingdom Hearts at all? What would happen when I was gone? So many things ran through my mind and were forgotten as I fell deeper into the abyss.

Falling… falling… into darkness.

* * *

Tears were running down Roxas' face. Vexen, Xigbar, Axel and the others were still standing over me, my eyes closed as the darkness continued to envelop my body.

"Roxas, you must do it now! You must release her heart!" hissed Vexen.

Roxas looked to Axel for support, who nodded. Summoning his Keyblade, he lifted it up above my heart.

"Megan, I'm sorry!" he yelled, tears flying away from his face. "Haaah!".

It pierced. My body reacted.

* * *

A bright, blinding light suddenly lit up the dark void. Memories of all the emotions I had felt since being with the Organization flew through my mind as they were all taken away.

 _..._

" _You always say that!", I giggled. "'Got it memorized?'"._

 _…_

" _Wahh!" I shrieked, backing a few steps away on my arms and legs._

 _..._

" _You'll never believe what happened… I materialized a Keyblade!"._

 _..._

 _"Hey! I got it eventually, didn't I?" I said. We all laughed._

 _…_

 _"H-how can you be here?!" I said with a mix of shock and fear._

 _…_

 _"They may not have hearts, but they do have heart" I said seriously, my face changing to one of defiance._

…

" _You look funny like that, Axel" I said, still giggling. "You spacing out now?"._

…

" _H-Hey! What are you doing?!" I protested._

…

" _You're my friends"._

…

" _What do you want with me?" I said as defiantly as I could._

…

" _I won't let you hurt Sora!" I said defiantly._

…

" _You did NOT just give me a nickname!" I yelled back, flailing my arms._

…

" _Saïx… what's happening to me?!" I asked him. "I know you know!"._

…

" _Ya think?" I replied sarcastically._

…

" _Hey! Don't be making any terrible guesses! My name's fine the way it is!" I yelled at them sarcastically, sticking my tongue out._

…

" _You'll never take me!" I yelled at him. "I'll defeat you… just like Riku did!"._

…

" _You guys have gotta stop sneaking up on me like that!" I said to him._

…

" _Oh, no. He's got nothing to do with this. This is all me…" I said slyly, giving him a mischievous look_

…

" _Let me go!" I yelled at him with what little energy I had._

…

" _I knew you'd come" I said happily, laughing. "That was the point!"._

…

" _Two can play at that game!" I yelled at it._

…

 _I looked at him in disbelief. "I… what?" I said incredulously._

…

" _Oh? And what're we gonna do together? Have sea-salt ice cream every day?" I said sarcastically._

…

" _Wait a minute, the cards changed?! You mean YOU were cheating?!" said Axel, less serious and more surprised now._

" _No, no, no!" I said desperately, waving my hands in front of me frantically. "I didn't know what was happening then!"._

" _Sure ya didn't..." said Axel, no longer serious, but playfully suspicious, a sly smile appearing across his face._

…

I was sucked back to the castle, my eyes bursting open, and my lungs taking a huge breath in. I was back. Axel and Roxas were looming over me with a few of the others. They looked worried. I looked up at them, blinking a few times.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asked, worry still evident on his face.

"I… don't know… I can't…" I paused, looking around and down before looking back up at them. "This is weird. I can still act out the emotions as I think I should… but… I can't feel anything…".

I sat up, those above reaching their arms out to ensure I didn't fall. Once I was in a seated position, they helped me to stand up fully. Xemnas walked up in front of me.

"Do you seek purpose?" he asked.

"Yes" I said.

I should've been nervous, or scared, or suspicious, or something, but I wasn't. I felt nothing. All the emotions were gone. I had become a Nobody.

The others stood around me as Xemnas materialized my name. 'M-E-G-A-N', it read in the air in front of me in silver block letters. He then waved his hand, and the letters began to spin, coming to a stop when he placed his hand in the middle of them, inserting an 'X'. There were three letters on the left of it, and two on the right.

"Genxam" I said.

"The new you" said Xemnas proudly, grinning.

* * *

And their plan continues...

So much happened in this chapter! I hope you liked it!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	36. Chapter 35 - The Newest Member

Hey everyone! I'm alive!

Thank you to everyone who gave ideas for Megan's Nobody name! I ended up going with Genxam, which sailorsenshi13 suggested. So shout-out to sailorsenshi13! Thanks for your idea!

Hope all is well with everyone!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 35 – The Newest Member**

I opened my eyes, looking around the room briefly. They went from one side of the ceiling to the other, looking at everything as though I was seeing it for the first time. It seemed like it was. I blinked a couple times. Things seemed different. Even though I couldn't feel, and for lack of knowing how else to describe it, things _felt_ different.

There were no emotions in any of my thoughts, nothing clouding any of my judgements. I was just there. No feeling whatsoever to anything. It was strange. Strange… was that a feeling? Or just my mind trying to make sense of the world purely through logic?

"Morning sleepyhead" came Axel's voice from the corner.

I sat up quickly in surprise, supporting myself with my hands on the bed behind me.

"How long have you been there?" I asked.

"Not long" he said in his usual teasing voice. "We figured you'd wake up today".

"Wake up?" I asked, tilting my head slightly in confusion.

"You've been asleep a few days" he replied.

"A few… days?" I said calmly.

Axel smirked. "Wow, you really are a Nobody now…" he said. "Normally, you'd have completely freaked out at being asleep for so long".

I just looked at him blankly. He continued.

"Don't worry" he said, grinning again. "Roxas and I'll have you laughing and having fun again soon. It's takes a bit of practice for a new Nobody, but I'm sure you'll pick up on it pretty fast". He smiled encouragingly. "Anyway, it's time to show you off to everyone as our newest official member. You ready to go?".

"Oh, uh, yeah" I said, getting up from the bed.

I walked over to him. He put him arm behind me, guiding me as we walked out the door. Coming to the Circle Room at short while later, we stopped at the double doors.

"Alright" said Axel beside me. "Ready for this?".

I nodded. He pushed open the doors, and then guided me in and up onto the central platform. We looked up at all the thrones above. It was only my second time. Xemnas addressed the room.

"Comrades" he began. "Today we officially welcome one who has been with for some time into our ranks. Number XIV, Genxam".

Xemnas' orange eyes then focused down on me, followed by everyone else's. I could see a few faces, Demyx, Luxord, Xigbar, Saïx, many of the others had their hoods up.

"Genxam, huh?" said Demyx enthusiastically. "I like it!".

I looked up at him blankly. At that, he pulled a slightly confused face, but then returned to his usual demeanor.

"Take your seat, Genxam" said Xemnas, indicating an empty throne with his outstretched arm.

Axel teleported to his own, as I looked at the newly added throne. It was the lowest, just slightly below Roxas's. All I did was think that I wanted to go there, and I appeared on it. It required almost nothing. Nothing compared to what I had had to do before.

I looked across at everyone from my new vantage point. Some seemed disinterested, others were looking around the room. Saïx broke the silence.

"Let us begin the meeting" he said from his throne, only lower than Xemnas's.

"DiZ has been an impediment to our plans for some time now" began Xemnas. "It is time we dealt with him".

"Genxam, you know much of their base of operations" said Saïx. "You will go and put an end to their plans".

"What if Riku's there?" I asked calmly.

"You will not be going alone" he said. "Axel, Marluxia, and Lexaeus will accompany you".

"Got it" I said confidently.

I didn't feel anything towards DiZ or Riku. No conflicting feelings like I would have before. I only remembered that DiZ had betrayed me, and Riku was working with him. If they planned to get in our way in completing Kingdom Hearts, then we would have to stop them.

"Dismissed" said Saïx.

Many of the others began teleporting away from their thrones. I looked at Roxas and Axel, who both smiled at me before teleporting away themselves. I followed suit a few seconds later.

* * *

"Lucky we tracked the power down, eh?" said Xigbar after everyone but himself and Xemnas had departed. "Never woulda thought it'd end up in a Somebody... You been workin' on that experiment for a long time, huh? All the way back to when we worked under Ansem, right? Stored it for safe keeping, and then it gets taken from right under your nose by the man you broke away from. Bummer". He paused, and smirked. "Nice one turning her against him though. That must really be eating at him. Is it really true that it's a copy of Kingdom Hearts power?"

Xemnas made eye contact with him. Xigbar grinned.

"I'll take that as your answer" he said.

* * *

I appeared in the common area after teleporting from my throne, many of the others appearing in various places around the area. Axel and Roxas walked up to me.

"Genxam, you're official now!" said Roxas happily. "Wow, it's gonna be strange not calling you by your other name!".

I looked at him, my mouth slightly open, not sure what to say.

"Ah, we'll get used to it!" said Axel. "I'm sure it's stranger for her than it is for us!". He grinned.

I couldn't help but try to replicate what he was doing. My face formed a smile, but I didn't feel anything at all. Axel saw it.

"There she is!" he said enthusiastically. "Told you it wouldn't take long! You'll get better and better, and you'll be back to your happy-go-lucky self in no time!".

"Huh?" I said, the smile disappearing as I tilted my head sideways. They both laughed.

Marluxia then walked up with Lexaeus, nodding at Axel.

"Genxam, I congratulate you on entry into the Organization" said Marluxia calmly.

I nodded to him. It was a different experience interacting with others when I didn't have emotions to depend on, only thoughts. I still remembered everything about them, but didn't _feel_ anything towards them. Not nervousness, or happiness, or suspicion.

"I trust you understand the mission?" said Marluxia.

"Yes" I replied confidently.

"Then let us depart" he finished.

Marluxia turned, and with a wave of his hand, opened a Corridor. The four of us nodded to each other, before beginning to walk through. Axel and I were the last to go. I caught a serious expression from him as he looked at me for a moment, before turning and walking through. In my new, emotionless state, it didn't mean anything to me. I walked through.

We came out in front of the gate to the mansion. Once I had arrived, the Corridor closed behind me. Marluxia and the others turned to form a circle now that everyone had arrived.

"Genxam" Marluxia began. "What will be the best plan of action?".

"The White Room on the second floor is where Naminé will be, and DiZ is likely in the basement at his monitors" I began. "It's likely they already know we're here". I paused. "The only problem I foresee for the mission is if Riku shows up. He'll be difficult to get past".

"He should not be a problem" Lexaeus piped in. "I have encountered him in the past".

"Don't underestimate him" I said.

"Alright, we storm the basement then" said Axel. "Can you get that gate unlocked Genxam?".

"On it" I said.

I summoned my Keyblade, and walked toward the large lock on the gate. I had only taken a few steps when a figure wearing the same cloak as our own appeared in my path. Removing their hood revealed long silver hair with a blindfold wrapped around. Riku.

I jumped back to stand with the others, my eyes focused on him. He stood without moving for a second, then dropped his head forward slightly, seemingly focusing on me.

"So they've turned you into a Nobody…" he said, loudly enough so that all of us could hear.

"They _saved_ me" I said. "I was falling to darkness. It was the only way".

Riku looked at Axel briefly, who looked away, and then at the others.

"I'm afraid I can't let you interfere with our plans" he said to no one in particular. "If you try to get through this gate, I _will_ stop you".

"By my count, there are four of us, and one of you; the odds do not look good for you Riku" said Marluxia slyly. "But if it is a fight you want, then it is a fight you will get".

He summoned his Scythe, as Lexaeus and Axel summoned their weapons. Riku summoned Soul Eater. My Keyblade was pointed diagonally away from my right side, as I crouched slightly, poised to attack.

"Megan, you _must_ see through the deception!" said Riku.

"That name no longer exists" said Lexaeus. "She is Genxam now, number XIV in the Organization".

"They've even given you a new name, that didn't take very long…" said Riku under his breath.

"The only deception I see is in the lies DiZ tried to feed me to keep me from knowing his plans" I said. "We have no fight with you Riku; stay out of our way".

"I can't do that" said Riku, raising Soul Eater above his head in a battle position. "I will not let you through this gate".

"Then there's no choice" I said.

With that, I ran at him, my Keyblade engulfing itself in darkness as it dragged along behind me. I jumped up, and swung it above my head to come down on him.

"Haaah!" I yelled in a battle cry, no anger, just pure concentration.

He raised Soul Eater above his head to parry the blow as our weapons clashed. A few seconds later, he pushed me off, sending me flying back to land in front of the others. Marluxia was next to attack. He thrust his scythe across the space in front of him, sending a wave toward Riku, who dispersed it with a slash of his weapon. Riku readied for the next attack.

Lexaeus moved in front of our group, and unleashed the full power of his weapon on the ground. It sent a shockwave toward Riku at the same time Axel threw his flamed chakrams at him. Riku jumped to avoid the shockwave, and parried Axel's attack just before it hit him. He landed on the ground on one knee, one arm supporting him as the other held his weapon.

"Looks like I'm gonna have to use a little dark power after all…" he muttered.

From his crouched position, he pushed forward off the ground, thrusting Soul Eater across the space in front of him, sending a large wave of darkness straight at us. I parried the attack with my Keyblade, but the others were taken off guard. It hit them all head on, sending them back, falling to the ground a short distance behind me, stunned. I looked back at them, and then turned to look at Riku, who was now standing up again. My teeth were clenched. I didn't feel any anger, but the thoughts running through my mind were trying to trying to figure a way to defeat him.

I ran at him again, this time coming head on. As I reached him, I lifted my Keyblade above my head to attack. He simply positioned Soul Eater horizontally to parry the attack, deflecting any attempt to get past. I pushed off, standing a few feet away from him while the others lay stunned on the ground behind me.

I ran at him again and again, as he parried the blow each time. I wasn't getting anywhere this way. I stood back a bit further, and dismissed my Keyblade. Reaching my hand out, I sent a blast of darkness his way. He ran toward it, dispelling it with a slash of his weapon, and continued coming toward me. I summoned my Keyblade just in time to parry his attack once he reached me.

I could barely hold him off, he was too strong. I jumped back to where the others were laying on the ground, beginning to recover.

"They're using you! You have to see that!" Riku yelled across the space desperately.

"I won't listen to your lies!" I yelled back, almost angrily. "I can see things clearly now, now that the emotions are out of the way!".

"They've really gotten to you…" said Riku quietly. "Body and mind".

The others had gotten up behind me now, looking weakened. I looked to them.

"What's the plan?" I asked calmly, not taking my eyes off Riku.

"Retreat for now" said Axel.

Marluxia and Lexaeus begrudgingly teleported away. Axel nodded to me, and then did the same. I took one more look at Riku, and then teleported away myself.

* * *

Uh oh. She's fully invested in the Organization now...

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Lemme know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	37. Chapter 36 - Revival

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a great Halloween!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 36 - Revival**

"You failed to eliminate DiZ" said Saïx from his throne, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"We were unable to get past Riku" I stated calmly.

Saïx looked at me. He was looking for someone to assign blame.

"She speaks truthfully" said Marluxia. "Riku wields more dark power than any of us were aware. We were taken off guard".

Axel and Lexaeus nodded their heads in agreement.

"He incapacitated everyone but myself with a single wave of darkness" I said. "Somehow my Keyblade broke through it, which is why I was the only one still standing".

"That, I would assume is due to the nature of your weapon" Zexion piped in, his finger under his chin in a thinking posture. "It is half of the darkness, so it makes sense that it would be able to fend off such an attack".

"Regardless, it would seem DiZ is out of reach so long as Riku is with him" said Saïx. He paused for a moment, mulling over the information. "We will have to re-evaluate our plans".

* * *

Coming to the common area, I looked around from the entrance to see who was there. A few members were standing around, likely waiting to be assigned missions. There was no sign of Axel or Roxas. I walked up to Saïx.

"What's the mission today?" I said calmly.

"Heart collection in Agrabah with Larxene" he stated.

"Got it" I said.

I turned around to find Larxene, and spotted her standing a short distance away, looking in my direction mischievously. She didn't make a move, so I walked up to her.

"So, ready for the mission?" I asked flatly.

"Hmm… I suppose" she replied.

I looked at her.

"Ya know, you're kind of boring without emotions…" she then said. "No fun to play with".

I tilted my head slightly.

"Ugh, fine" she said, disappointed. "Let's go".

She turned and opened a portal, into which we both walked. We arrived in the middle of an alleyway in the town in Agrabah. There were buildings lining the street, with various colours of fabric blowing in the wind. Larxene turned and looked at me, her face looking bored.

"Looks like I'm on training wheels today…" she muttered. "You're just like Roxas when he first arrived". She scoffed.

"I can still fight" I said. "I haven't forgotten everything".

She looked at me for a moment, before her expression changed to a grin.

"That's not all there is to it, kid" she said. "I'm sure you know how far emotions can go when properly utilized. Real or not". She pointed her finger up in front of her as if teaching a lesson as she spoke. "Hmm…" she laughed slightly, smirking mischievously. "This should be fun". The tone of her voice had changed back to its usual vigor.

She turned and began walking down the street. I didn't think anything of her words, and caught up to walk together. Shortly after coming to a crossroads in the alley, a few groups of Shadows appeared. I went into action, summoning my Keyblade.

Slashing at the first couple in a group, they went down without much effort. I then turned my attention to the next three. Just as I was about to reach them, I felt an electric shock hit the back of my left shoulder. I turned around to look at Larxene, surprise and annoyance evident on my face. She was the only one it could've come from.

"Oops, it just slipped out…" she said innocently.

I turned back to the Heartless, not thinking much of it as I took out a few more. I ran at the next group, beginning to work on their number. As I was about to attack a few more, I felt another shock to my back, stronger this time, and fell forward slightly. I looked back at her with more annoyance than before.

"Are you _trying_ to get a rise out of me?" I said.

"Is it working?" she said tauntingly. "I can see that little defiant personality of yours ever so slowly coming back…".

"Huh?" I said, standing up straight, and turning to face her.

I hadn't realized it, but even without emotions, my actions were reminiscent of how I had been before I lost my heart. I looked at her with curiosity.

"What are you trying to do?" I asked seriously.

"Oh, just having a little fun" she said, grinning.

Before I was able to respond, the Shadows I had left caught me off guard, jumping from behind. I fell to the ground as four of them landed on top of me.

"Ngh!" I said as I hit the hard, sandy surface.

Ignoring what Larxene had said, I focused my attention back on the battle. Turning around and pushing the Heartless off of me, I slashed my Keyblade at them from a crouch, and got up to a standing position. I ran at the group directly in front.

"Haaah!" I yelled, a hint of anger evident in my voice now.

I slashed the few that had been there, and then went after the final group in the area, running with intent. A few attacks later, they had dispersed, releasing hearts. I was breathing heavily; the heat of the battle having overtaken me. I heard clapping coming from behind, and turned to look at Larxene.

"Well done!" she said proudly. "You see what I mean about putting a little more 'umph into it? Emotions make a _big_ difference".

"But we don't have emotions" I said flatly.

"We may not have 'em in the traditional sense, but that sure looked like some emotion to me!" she said.

She was right. Even though I hadn't felt anything, I had been annoyed with her, and even showed a bit of anger during the battle. How was that possible?

"And _now_ she's wondering how that can be…" said Larxene teasingly. Then her voice went harsh. "I'm not gonna spell it out for ya, so don't even go there".

We walked on, taking out groups of Barrel and Pot Spiders, and Large Bodies as we went. Larxene sent her lightning at enemies in between myself attacking with the Keyblade. Many of her attacks just narrowly missed me, much to my annoyance, and her amusement. After a while, it seemed she had lost interest in the battles, and stayed watching on the sidelines while I fought.

We came to the last area of town; a large clearing in front of the arched gate to the desert. There were some stalls around the edges, but it was mostly a barren area. A group of Loudmouths and Tornado Steps appeared in front of us. The Loudmouths began trumpeting their horns.

Before they could get off more than a few seconds of sound, I had summoned my Keyblade, ran at them, and silenced their ear-splitting tones.

"Gah! Those things are _really_ annoying!" I said, exasperated, and then held my mouth surprised at what had just come out of it.

Pushing the thought aside for a moment, I ran at the Tornado Steps, Larxene watching from a short distance away. I took out all but one, which began bouncing its' way toward an alley.

"Oh no you don't!" I said, as I ran after it.

I caught it in a small clearing a short way into the alley. Sending a blast of darkness at it, it dispersed. Standing up straight, and dismissing my Keyblade, I looked around at where I was. It was a small, square-shaped clearing formed by the backs of tall buildings on all sides. There was only a slit of an opening in the corner where myself and the Heartless had come through. Larxene hadn't caught up with us.

Just as I had turned to leave, I caught the sight of a figure out of the corner of my eye walking out from the shadows. I paused and turned my head slightly to look at them. They were tall and slim, with a feathered hat on, and held a staff in their hand. It was Jafar.

"Why, hello" he said. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced". He paused, smirking confidently. "I am Jafar". He gave a slight bow.

I turned to continue walking, but he raised his staff, and put up an invisible shield in front of the exit. I turned to face him, an annoyed look on my face.

"What do you want?" I asked seriously.

"Such manners" he said. "I cannot address a lady without first knowing her name…".

"It's Genxam" I said flatly.

I felt no fear at his presence. Nothing like I had felt during encounters with other Disney villains. I was more annoyed that he had interrupted my mission. Still, I was slightly curious at what he wanted. Even with the exit blocked, I could always create a Corridor and leave anytime I wanted.

"You wield the darkness well, my dear…" he said mesmerizingly.

My back was to the opening in the buildings where I came in, so I didn't see Larxene appear around the corner a slight distance back, watching the encounter. She kept out of sight.

"What of it?" I said, unimpressed.

"Such a power could be of much use to me…" mused Jafar.

"Yeah, well, it's not yours" I said, taking up a defensive posture.

"Such strong will…" he responded. "But no matter, I will take it by force!".

He raised his serpent staff, the eyes beginning to glow. I didn't take any chances; thrusting my hand out, I sent a blast of darkness at it, obliterating the head into a million pieces. Jafar gasped in outrage, looking at his staff, and then at me.

"Such power! Give it to me!" he said aggressively.

"Not a chance" I said. "I work for the Organization, no one else. We WILL complete our goal".

With that, I sent another darkness blast his way, but this time he jumped up to the roof of one of the surrounding buildings, avoiding it. He looked down at me angrily for a moment before his expression changed to a sneer. He disappeared from view shortly thereafter, the invisible barrier on the exit disappearing. I walked out of the alley.

Coming back into the clearing, I saw Larxene standing off to one side waiting. She looked bored.

"Are you done?" she asked. "I was getting bored waiting for you".

I sighed. Could she never be a _little_ nice?

"Anyway, that should be all of them" she said. "Let's head back to the castle".

She opened a Corridor, and we both went through. By the time I came through in the common area, she had already disappeared from sight. _Warm and fuzzy…_ I thought. _As always._

Once the Corridor behind me had disappeared, I turned and created my own to Twilight Town. Walking through the swirling mass, I left the common area behind. As I came out on the ledge of the clock tower, I popped my head around the corner, and saw that both Axel and Roxas already sitting there. They smiled at me as I took my place on the ledge, Roxas handing me a stick of ice cream. I let out a deep sigh after munching down my first bite, deep in thought.

"Long day?" asked Roxas.

"You could say that" I replied.

"Wanna talk about it?" asked Axel.

I looked at the both of them. They both looked at me with concern. I looked down at my ice cream, and then back at them.

"Today on the mission," I began. "I showed anger… and annoyance, but I didn't feel anything". I paused. "How's that possible?".

"It's because your mind remembers" said Axel.

I looked at him.

"We all started out the way you did when you lost your heart" he continued. "Completely emotionless. It takes a bit of getting used to at first, but slowly your personality comes back". He paused, and then grinned, looking at Roxas. "Unless you're Roxas of course. He was a complete zombie of a Nobody when he was born!".

"Hey!" said Roxas, pushing Axel on the shoulder playfully. "How many times are you gonna bring that up?!". He blushed slightly.

"Forever" said Axel mischievously, pushing him back.

I snorted, and then broke out into full-on, uncontrollable laughter. I didn't know where it had come from. It had just happened. The two of them stopped their fist-fight and looked over at me, smiling. I stopped once I noticed them grinning, and covered my mouth in surprise.

"How…?" I said, completely bewildered by what had just happened.

"Don't think too hard about it" said Roxas smiling encouragingly. "Just be you".

* * *

"We have nothing to worry about with Genxam" reported Saïx from his throne. "Larxene reports that she is fully invested in the Organization's goal".

"Little poppet's doing exactly what we want" began Xigbar. "Doesn't realize her true purpose here. Everything's going perfectly to plan". He smirked evilly.

"Excellent" said Xemnas.

* * *

Uh oh. What's the Organization planning NOW?!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	38. Chapter 37 - Solo Mission

Hey everyone!

Wow! The last month of the semester is always crazy busy! Sorry this one took so long!

Hope all is well with everyone!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 37 – Solo Mission**

I opened my eyes. Lying in bed, I looked up at the ceiling, and raised my hand high above my face, between it and the ceiling. I studied the hand there for a moment, holding it in the air.

 _"Just be you"._

Roxas' words echoed in my mind. Be me? Who was I anymore? I was a Nobody; I had no emotions, yet somehow still did. Roxas and Axel certainly did. They were pro at it. I let my hand come back to my side, and stared up at the ceiling.

Roxas had said not to think too hard about it. So that's what I was gonna do. It might be complicated, but I would take it in stride. Who knew? Maybe this whole emotions-no-emotions thing would just do its thing on its own. I got up and headed for the common area.

On arrival, I walked up to Saïx.

"Genxam, today you will begin solo missions" he said emotionlessly.

"Solo?" I said, slightly surprised. There was no fear in me.

"You have proven yourself loyal on more than one occasion; it should not be a surprise" he said.

"O-oh, ok" I said, not sure what else to do.

"You are to go to Halloween Town today, and diminish the Heartless population" Saïx then said.

"Ok, got it" I said.

Turning around briefly, I scanned the room for a moment before opening a Corridor. It was strange not going with anyone else, but I suppose the training wheels had to come off sometime. Not seeing anyone I wanted to talk to around, I turned toward the portal, and walked through. The darkness enveloped me.

Coming out in a forested area, I took a brief look around. Halloween Town. I was in the Hinterlands on the outskirts of it. Looking around, I saw presents scattered around on the ground.

"What are these doing here…?" I muttered to no one in particular, walking forward and picking one up.

There wasn't much time to mull it over, as Heartless began appearing in my immediate vicinity. A group of Trick Ghosts and Wight Nights materialized in front of me. I dropped the present, and took on a defensive posture.

"Right to it then, I see…" I said.

I summoned my Keyblade, and ran toward one of the Knights as it stumbled toward me; its bandaged face and wobbly body not sure on which direction to go.

"Haaaah!" I yelled.

I slashed it up and down, ending with a blow across the torso. It fell over, defeated, and disappeared. I turned to another, careful not to hit any of the presents on the ground. I took out a Trick Ghost next, which was a much easier feat than the Knight had been. It had a much thicker body, and wasn't able to avoid my attacks as much.

I turned around and around, slashing at Heartless here and there, taking them out one by one. I shot off a blast of fire from my Keyblade, eliminating another Ghost, and then turned around to see the final three Heartless. Dismissing my Keyblade, I thrust my arm in their direction, sending a blast of darkness straight at them. On contact, it engulfed all three, causing them to disappear. I bent over, taking a breath, before recovering. It was a different experience being on a mission on my own. I was able to make all the decisions.

Scanning the area for more Heartless, but not finding any, I continued on. Next up was the Graveyard. As I entered the area, there was no sign of anything or anyone initially. The gravestones sat in place completely quiet. Then the scene changed completely.

After taking only a few paces forward, a whole horde of Heartless appeared in my wake. Graveyards, Driller Moles, Creep Worms, and Carrier Ghosts. They were everywhere.

"About time you guys showed up…" I said, taking in the scene around me carefully. "I almost thought this mission was gonna end prematurely…". I paused, smirking slightly before stepping my foot back. "Haaah!".

I thrust my hand forward, sending a blast of darkness at the first of the group ahead of me. The Graveyard was impacted head on, and disappeared immediately. I didn't wait for the attack to finish; just as the darkness was dissipating into a cloud of smoke, I summoned my Keyblade, ran straight into it, and jumped up to ambush the Heartless behind it.

"Haaah!" I yelled, coming down on a helpless ghost, blinded by the smoke.

My Keyblade connected, coming down on it hard. A few slashes later, it disappeared. I ran toward other groups of Heartless, slashing and taking out as many as I could as I went. I fired off a few blasts of Fire, and cast Thunder for good measure. The Heartless disappeared around me.

I stopped and took a breath, letting my head fall forward as I stood there. Then without warning, a blow struck me from behind.

"Ngh!" I grimaced as I was thrown forward.

I came crashing down, face-first to the ground, landing roughly on my torso, my arms falling above my head. Pushing up with my Keyblade hand, I rolled over to see the attacker. It was Wight Knight that I hadn't noticed before. The pain from its slash ebbed across my back as I sat up and curled in on myself, grimacing. A moment later, a golden glow enveloped me, and the pain disappeared. I got up slowly, and looked straight at the Knight.

"That'll teach me not to let my guard down…" I muttered, and then looked up, and smirked confidently at the Knight.

I ran at it, slashing a few times, before it disappeared. Without the element of surprise, it had no chance. Quickly scanning the graveyard, I found there were no other Heartless this time. Next up was Halloween Town Square.

The fountain in the centre of the area had a green glow, and things were eerily quiet. I suppose that matched with the theme of Halloween Town, but what I saw before me did not. It was completely bizarre. Various Heartless were playing with wrapped presents around the fountain. It was a behaviour I had never seen from them before. Wight Knights were handling and examining the small boxes as if curious about them.

"What the-?" I said, walking up.

I scanned the area, taking in the scene before me. Like in the Hinterlands, there were presents scattered everywhere. It puzzled me as I searched my mind for when and if this had happened in the game. It had been so long ago that I had played it, and there had been so many visits to worlds; I just couldn't remember. Oh well; presents or not, Heartless were Heartless and had to be taken care of. I summoned my Keyblade.

The second it materialized, the scene went into a flurry of activity. It was like the Heartless could sense it. They dropped the presents, and began wandering around in their usual fashion. A few jumped straight at me. I stepped forward and slashed horizontally, sending them flying far back as more made their way over.

"Well, that was quite the change…" I muttered to myself.

More came, and I gave them the same treatment as the previous ones. I slashed at a few who came near, and cast Fire at others further away. At one point, I became surrounded by a horde of them. It was a perfect setup. Standing up tall, I raised my Keyblade high into the air.

"THUNDER!" I yelled.

Great, bright bolts of lightning appeared all around me, striking indiscriminately. Every Heartless disappeared in a puff of darkness. The immediate area was cleared. There was no time to celebrate though.

More of them were coming from all directions. I summoned the power of darkness from within. My body and Keyblade became enveloped in green and purple hues. Spinning around with my Keyblade outstretched, I sent a shockwave of darkness in all directions, sending every Heartless in the vicinity into oblivion. They all disappeared, every last one.

I looked ahead of me at the now empty space. All the presents had fallen from the Heartless' hands to the ground. Just as I went to walk toward one, I heard a mechanical sound behind me. Before I could turn around to see what it was, something hard and metal struck from behind, sending me flying across the space. I slid forward on my side like a rag doll, past the fountain, and toward the buildings on the other side.

I rolled over to see what had accosted me, and found myself looking up at a mechanical creation. Everything about it screamed Frankenstein. I gasped. Backing away on all fours, and then getting slowly and unsteadily to my feet, I readied myself for a battle. But nothing happened. Shortly after I had stood up, the creation walked away, disappearing around a corner. I lowered my Keyblade arm, relaxing my posture with a confused look.

"Was that… Dr. Finkelstein's creation?" I wondered aloud.

I had been stood there a moment, trying to figure it out, when I heard voices coming from the Graveyard.

"Quick! We've gotta go find those presents!" came a familiar boy's voice.

I gasped. Sora?! Without thinking, I ran into a nearby alley, hidden from view, just as a group of four people wandered into the area. The first was a tall skeleton-like figure, followed by the boy and two companions. It was Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jack Skellington. I leaned my head out carefully from the shadow of the alleyway to watch as they came into the square.

"The presents… but who defeated the Heartless…?" said Sora, looking around.

Jack walked up to a damaged box, and picked it up, stepping on a doll on the ground. The box was opened, and looked heavily beaten up.

"What a shame… it looks like it was such a nice present…" he said.

Sora looked as though he was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"Someone help! My experiment's been stolen!" came a voice from the entryway of one of the buildings. It was Dr. Finkelstein's.

"Let's go!" yelled Sora to the others.

Jack dropped the box, and ran with the others toward the man in the wheelchair. As they ran past the alleyway I was in, I ducked my head back to avoid being seen. After they had passed, I leaned around the corner slightly and watched after them as they ran up the steps. It _was_ Sora.

I watched as they ran toward the laboratory. Why had I just become so nervous at seeing him? What was that? I pushed the thought away. I had a mission to complete. I watched as they followed the man inside, almost solemnly. _Sora_ … _I can't go with you right now…_ I thought as I sighed. _We'll do our best separately; from both sides._

Unbeknownst to me, a small figure in a black coat was standing around a corner in the alley behind me. They watched as I waited for Sora to go inside, before quickly leaving the alley so as not to be seen. They followed, keeping to the shadows. I was unaware of their presence.

Cutting through the Graveyard, I took a different turn, instead going to Curly Hill. It was a quiet area that it seemed people almost never came to. The large dirt-laden area gave way to the hill in the centre that gave it its name. The hill that curved in on itself.

I remembered coming here with Lexaeus once on an early mission. He was rather quiet, like the earth around him, I had heard. Only speaking when needed. A strange character.

I walked into the centre of the area, and looked up at the moon. It seemed to be forever dark on this world; what with it being a never-ending Halloween and all. Never-ending… I hoped that my friendship with Roxas and Axel would never end. They would get hearts when we completed Kingdom Hearts, and become Somebodies…

We had joked about having sea-salt ice cream every day after everyone got hearts of their own. I smiled at the thought. It was a comforting notion. My thoughts were suddenly broken as I heard footsteps walk up a short distance in front of me.

A short figure with big round ears, wearing an Organization coat was standing there. I recognized them immediately from the game. It was King Mickey. He spoke before I got a chance to.

"What Riku said was true… I didn't want to believe it" said Mickey. He paused. "They _have_ turned you into a Nobody".

"That's correct" I said calmly.

"Why are you _working_ for them?!" exclaimed Mickey.

"Because they're my friends" I said. "I know I'm doing the right thing. Everyone will get hearts of their own. How is that a bad thing?" I replied.

"But they aren't telling you the whole story!" said Mickey.

"Neither is DiZ" I said pointedly. " _He's_ the real bad guy here". My voice became more angry and passionate, "Why else would he keep my powers from me? Why else would he have kept me in the dark?". I paused, calming down a bit before continuing, "The Organization showed me how to control my powers. They even saved me from falling to darkness. They've been nothing but kind to me".

"But-" said Mickey, but I cut him off.

"I know they may not be telling me everything, but I know what I'm doing is right" I said confidently. I paused, looking down, and then back up. "I can't go with Sora right now. He has to do his part, just as I have to do mine".

I turned to walk away.

"No Genxam, wait!" cried Mickey, reaching his hand out toward me.

I teleported away before he could say anything else.

* * *

And there it is! Hope you enjoyed it!

I have a question for you guys. Is there anything you've noticed that I can improve on in my writing? I'm always looking for feedback! Please let me know!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter as well! I'm always very appreciative of all my reviewers. You guys encourage me to make the story as best as it can be!

Until next time!


	39. Chapter 38 - Seed of Doubt

Hey everyone!

We're into exams! Hallelujah! Hoping to have a lot more time to write soon! Wahoo!

Been playing through KH 1.5 2.5 remix. It's really weird playing KH1 again lol. It came out so long ago! Anyone else?

Hope everyone's December is going well!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 38 – Seed of Doubt**

So much had changed since I had come here. I knew I had thought about it before, but things had changed again. Now I was a full-fledged member of the Organization. Number XIV, Genxam. I had even begun solo missions.

I had seen Sora on a mission. I knew he was plugging away on his journey, and didn't want to get in the way of that. He had to do his part in collecting hearts just as I had to do mine. I couldn't go with him now. There were things I wanted to do to help my friends, and being in the Organization was the only way I could do it. I didn't see anything wrong with it. Collecting hearts to complete Kingdom Hearts would make everyone whole, and I was committed to that goal like everyone else.

Arriving in the common area, I was surprised to see only a few people around. Saïx hadn't arrived yet. It must've been early. I saw Axel standing at the back of the room, looking out the window. Walking up to join him, he looked solemn.

"Good morning Axel" I tried to say in a cheery voice.

His gaze broke away from the window slowly and focused on me. He seemed like he had been miles away.

"Oh, good morning…" he said, looking down and rubbing his hand through his tall, spiky hair.

I looked out the window at Kingdom Hearts.

"So… my heart's up there?" I said.

Axel turned and looked back out the window at the large heart-shaped moon in the dark sky. He took a while before responding.

"Yeah… I suppose it is…" he finally said, sighing.

I looked at him with concern. Axel was deep in thought. _Saïx, what are you thinking?_ he thought. _What is Xemnas up to?_

"Everything alright?" I asked, breaking his thoughts.

He turned back to me, initially with a look like something was bothering him. Then he changed to his cheerful demeanor.

"Nah, everything's fine" he said nonchalantly, cracking a slight smile. Then, on a more serious note, "Just… think for yourself, ok?".

"Huh?" I said, my head falling back in surprise at his words.

He was about to say something else when he looked back at the room, and saw Saïx walking up, watching him carefully. His demeanor changed back its usual façade as he approached.

"Axel, I believe you have a mission to complete" Saïx said as he stopped in front of us.

"Yes, sir" said Axel, giving him a two-fingered salute.

He gave me a weak smile, before walking off and entering a Corridor. Saïx then focused his attention on me.

"Genxam, you are on heart collection again today" he said. "Depart for Wonderland immediately".

"Got it…" I said, with a little less vigour than usual.

I walked past Saïx and created a Corridor, glancing in the direction of where Axel had left. I could feel Saïx' gaze on my back, so I didn't linger long. Taking one final look around, I departed. After I had left, Saïx expression showed a look of suspicion. He made a note on his clipboard.

I came out in the middle of the Hedge Maze entrance of Wonderland, exiting the Corridor onto soft, lush grass. Looking around, there were no Heartless in my immediate vicinity. I sighed. What had Axel meant? He had never said anything like that before…

I pushed away the thought. There was no use thinking about it now; I had a mission to complete. Walking forward a few paces, a group of Shadow Heartless appeared around me. I summoned my Keyblade, jumping into action.

Taking them out with little effort, their captive hearts rose up into the sky. I barely broke a sweat. Looking around the area, I scanned for anything different than what I had seen on other visits, but it was still the same. The last time I had been here was with Marluxia. It would be an interesting experience traversing the world on my own.

I looked to my left and right, and saw entrances to the two hedge mazes. Not being the greatest with mazes, and often getting lost in them, I elected not to enter these ones. If there were any Heartless in them, they were off the hook today. I wasn't any use traversing such an area anyway, even if I could Corridor out.

As I walked toward the Queen's Castle entrance, a boomerang flew past within a few inches of my head.

"Woah!" I exclaimed as I jumped.

Turning around, I saw a group of Air Soldiers had appeared a short distance behind me.

"Alright… you want some?" I said challengingly, a smirk forming on my face. "Haaah!".

I ran at the group, and began pummelling them with attacks. Spinning around, I pointed my Keyblade at an outlier.

"Fire!" I yelled.

A blast of flames erupted from the end of it, and hit the Air Soldier head on, destroying it. I turned around to focus on the rest. They took longer to take out than the Shadows, and moved impossibly fast. Darting here and there in the air, I tried to calculate their movements, watching them carefully. They almost always darted back in the same direction from which they had come. I took my chance.

Running at one of them, I brought my Keyblade forward to slash. But it hit dead air. The Air Soldier had darted out of the way too quickly. The few that were left darted in different directions in the air around me. It was clear the Keyblade could hit them, but not effectively.

I dismissed it, bringing my hand together in a fist. In the next moment, I stepped back, and thrust my hand forward, sending a blast of darkness at the nearest Soldier in the air.

"Hah!" I yelled.

The blast moved much more quickly than any Keyblade swing could have. It hit the Soldier head-on, engulfing the others along with it. They all released hearts. I stood up straight, the Heartless having been taken out, and headed for the next area.

As I walked, my mind wandered. What _had_ Axel meant? Think for myself? What reason would he have to say something like that? It puzzled me.

I was lost in thought about it as I entered the Queen's Castle. So lost in thought that I didn't notice a Mega-Shadow jump straight at me until it was already in midair. Quickly summoning my Keyblade, I slashed diagonally, sending it flying backward.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled at it as I completed my attack.

I was agitated. It had broken my train of thought. It wouldn't cause trouble for much longer though. I called on the power inside me, extending my arms out to my sides.

"Haaaaah!" I yelled, almost angrily.

A bubble of darkness, emanating from my chest, expanded outward in every direction like a shockwave. It took out every Heartless around me as it passed through them. They all disappeared in puffs of darkness, leaving nothing behind but hearts rising up into the sky. The attack dissipated, and my arms fell back to my sides as I leaned forward slightly, out of breath. It was more from becoming worked up than the actual attack.

After collecting myself, I looked around the area. Not a Heartless in sight. _This must be what Larxene was talking about…_ I thought. _The more you put into it, the more powerful it'll be._

I walked toward the next area. The Lotus Forest. As I entered the thickly-treed area, a familiar sight appeared on a stump to my left. A striped creature with a large head. The Cheshire Cat.

"I see it has happened indeed" it said.

I looked at it, quizzically at first, and then remembered what it had said the last time I was here with Marluxia.

"You knew" I said flatly. "You knew what was going to happen to me; you knew I was going to fall to darkness".

"What does one know, and what does one not?" it said. "One who knows all, or one who knows not?".

"Huh…?" I said, tilting my head sideways. I was completely puzzled.

"They may be cryptic, cryptic indeed, or they may be an ally in disguise" it said. "Who might it be who is the right way to be? Who may be trusted, and who may be not? Yes, it may be true you have changed for the better, but who is it really, has a good end in mind?".

Now I was even more confused.

"Huhhhhhhhhhh?!" I exclaimed, looking at it in complete confusion. "Quit talking in riddles!" I then yelled at it. "Just tell me what you're trying to say!".

The Cheshire Cat simply gave an impossibly wide smile from ear to ear, before disappearing. I sighed.

"Well, that wasn't very helpful…" I muttered.

I looked around to see if I could spot it somewhere in the vicinity, but it was nowhere to be seen. It had disappeared. I was a little confused, but didn't think much of it as I continued on the mission. I entered the Lotus Forest.

A few minutes later, I began to see the truly bizarre nature of Wonderland; I had gotten lost in the forest. It had seemed so easy when I was here with Marluxia, but truth be told, I had just followed him. Now I was here on my own, and looking at thickly treed enclaves. It hadn't looked this big in the game.

I looked ahead, and then above. Large leaves hung over the area like a blanket; I could barely see through them to the sky. They didn't look like they could support weight either. Ahead of me were various clearings hiding who knew what. Each one was purposely angled so I couldn't see inside. And I couldn't see an end to the forest with all the overgrowth either. I sighed. Nowhere to go but forward!

As I began traversing the forest, a group of Heartless appeared. Two Large Bodies and some Blue Rhapsodies. I stopped.

"Oh, for the love of…" I said, annoyed.

I remembered why I didn't like Wonderland. It was FILLED with Large Bodies. They were always REALLY annoying to take out. You had to get behind them, and attack, and then they would turn around, and you'd have to get behind them again… It was an endless cycle.

I summoned my Keyblade. A second later, without even thinking about it, I had unexpectedly teleported behind the Large Body. My arms and Keyblade flailed for a moment to regain my balance as I centered myself. I had to get used to that. It didn't take much anymore.

The Large Body hadn't noticed my presence behind it yet. This was going to be much easier. I hadn't thought of it, but teleporting would make this a cinch! My Keyblade in hand, I hit the Large Body from behind with as much vigour as I could muster. I impacted it again and again and again. It fell forward slightly, but didn't disappear. Then it turned around.

"Uh oh" I said, my smile fading.

It made to throw all its weight toward me. Just before it did, I jumped to the side. As it turned again, I dismissed my Keyblade and thrust my hand out toward it.

"Hah!" I yelled, sending a blast of darkness at it.

It hit straight on, engulfing it. One down, one to go. I took one look at the other one, and decided to give it the same treatment. Darkness was a lot more powerful than normal magic or the Keyblade, so I sent another blast. One hit and it was gone.

In the next moment, I summoned my Keyblade, ran, and did a sideways flip at one of the Blue Rhapsodies, my Keyblade impacting it on landing. It took a hit, floating backward, but wasn't down yet. I lunged at it, striking repeatedly with the Keyblade. Left diagonal, and then right diagonal, repeat. After a few more slashes, it went down.

I repeated the same process for the other two. Running toward a new clearing, I lunged and took them out with a few swings. Landing on the ground, they disappeared above me. I stood up straight.

Phew. That was over. I dismissed my Keyblade. Missions were much more tiring on your own.

As I looked ahead of me, I was surprised to see an alcove. Not the one I had come in through, but a different one. Had I actually found the exit to the forest? I must've travelled quite a bit in the heat of the battle! I looked back at the large overgrowth hiding who-knew-what behind me. I did _not_ want to go back in there. I walked through.

The area I came out in resembled a tea party. There was a long, narrow table, with various dishes and chairs lining it. A rabbit and a strange-looking man in a waistcoat and a top hat were sitting there. It was the Mad Hatter and Rabbit. Wait, people?! I quickly darted behind a bush to the right of the entrance.

"There is no use in hiding behind the bush as we have already seen you" came the Mad Hatter's quizzical, yet curious voice. "Come on out".

I partially revealed myself from the behind the bush, looking out at them. They were watching me curiously.

"Y-you saw me?" I said sheepishly.

"Why of course" the Mad Hatter said simply. "It is not often that we get company".

I looked down, coming out slowly to stand in front of the entranceway.

"You look troubled my dear" he then said. "Come. You must be freezing over there. Sit down and have a cup of tea. Tea solves all problems".

"And it's warm too! Ahahah! Warm! Get it?" said the rabbit maniacally.

The Mad Hatter gave the Rabbit a look of disapproval, and it quieted down immediately, looking like a child who had just been scolded. I slowly walked over and sat down at the head opposite the Hatter. The Rabbit got up from his seat and crawled across the table, carrying a teapot, and poured the contents into a teacup in front of me. After it had finished and gone back to its seat, I picked up the cup.

I didn't usually like tea, but didn't want to be rude, so I took a sip. It was surprisingly good! Not what I had expected at all.

"Now, tell us what is the matter" said the Mad Hatter encouragingly as I put it down. "There is no frowning allowed in Wonderland".

I looked up at their expectant faces, and thought about what Axel had said. It was going to bother me forever if I didn't do something about it. Maybe they could help. What harm could it do? I took a breath.

"Have you ever had a friend say something strange to you?" I asked the Hatter.

"Oh, many times…" said the Hatter. "Usually over tea, and it always comes in the most strange of situations".

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, a little here, and a little there" said the Hatter bobbing his head from side to side. "I never really understand it". He smiled friendily.

I thought about it for a moment. Maybe I was making too big of a deal out of what Axel had said. Standing up from the chair, I looked up at them.

"Thank you" I said. "I have to be going now".

"Come visit again!" said the Hatter.

I smiled at him, and then walked over to the side. I opened a portal to Twilight Town. Looking back at the Hatter and Rabbit, I saw they had already busied themselves in another conversation. I smiled; they were off in their own little world. I then walked through the portal.

Coming out on the clock tower, I was happy to see Roxas and Axel already sitting there. I sat down beside Roxas, and he handed me a stick of sea-salt ice cream with a smile. It was contagious, as I smiled back. I took a bite, staring out at the sunset.

After a few moments, I looked over at Axel, who was also looking out, his popsicle hanging out of his mouth on its own. I smiled. It was just like one of the times long ago when he had zoned out. Maybe I _was_ thinking too hard about what he had said. It was probably just a friendly 'take care of yourself' type of statement. I pushed it from my mind.

"So… how was your mission today?" Roxas asked me.

"Oh, you would not believe it!" I said, complaining. "I was sent to Wonderland! And almost got lost in a forest. And had to take out Large Bodies! Those things really get on my nerves!". I had become completely animated, waving my arms around at each sentence.

"Sounds like someone had quite the day!" said Axel teasingly. He had taken the popsicle out of his mouth. "First time to Wonderland alone?".

"Yes…" I said, defeated by his words. I slouched over slightly. They both just laughed.

"Ah, don't worry about it" said Roxas. "You get used to it eventually".

I sat up straight again. "I hope so…" I sighed, holding my head in one hand while I looked out across the town.

"Hey, remember when you said not to mess with your name? Said it was fine the way it was?" said Axel. "Well, what do you think now?". He had a grin on his face.

"It's not like I had a choice! Xemnas just gave me it!" I said, and then paused, calming down a bit. "I suppose it's not too bad though; I've kinda gotten to like it a bit, actually". I smiled.

Axel and Roxas smiled at each other.

"Looks like she's been defeated…" said Roxas smiling mischievously.

"Huh?" I said, confused.

"You never would've taken something like that lying down before. You'd have come up with some kind of remark" said Axel just as mischievously with a smirk. "You've changed".

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" I said, half-smiling, but also a little reserved, thinking I should be embarrassed. If my face could've gone red, it would have at this point.

"Hope the others don't find out…" said Axel playfully.

"Find out what?!" I said, still missing the point. I really was hopeless sometimes. "I'm still me!". I was flailing my arms now, trying to give move emphasis to my words. "I'll take on anyone! Just try me!".

Roxas and Axel just laughed.

* * *

"I sensed an increase in Genxam's powers after the mission today, however she is still not using it to its full potential" said Saïx from his throne. "I believe it would be in our best interest to move things along".

"What do you propose?" said Xemnas calmly.

"According to Vexen, exposing her to the original source in Castle Oblivion should cause a reaction from the power within" said Saïx.

"It'll speed things up you mean" said Xigbar slyly.

"Exactly" said Saïx.

"Let us see the outcome of this plan. You may proceed" said Xemnas.

* * *

Wa-oh! They're up to no good!

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	40. Chapter 39 - Castle Oblivion

Hey everyone!

Weeee! Christmas holidays!

Hope everyone is well!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 39 – Castle Oblivion**

"Riku was right. Xemnas has her completely on their side" said Mickey. "There has to be something we can do!".

"Every time we've gotten to her, she's been taken away before we can tell her the whole truth" said Riku. "And now, Xemnas has taken her mind as well".

"We must get to her at a time where she will not be missed; then they cannot get to her before we are able to tell her the whole truth" said DiZ.

"She has the power to create Corridors now" said Riku. "We won't be able to stop her from leaving".

"We will have to be convincing" said DiZ.

* * *

Entering the common area, I began to walk along the centre walkway to the back of the room where Saïx was standing. He was preoccupied with Demyx, who seemed to be debating his mission. Saïx had a look of agitation on his face, while Demyx seemed to be pleading with him. I wondered what they were talking about. Knowing Demyx, he was probably complaining about the work. I chuckled.

About halfway through the room, Axel walked out from a group of couches and blocked my path.

"Yo!" he said cheerfully, raising his hand in a friendly wave. "Looks like you're stuck with me today! We're off to Castle Oblivion!".

"Castle Oblivion?" I said in surprise, stopping in front of him. "I've never been there before…".

"Well then, it looks like youget to explore a new world today!" said Axel enthusiastically. He smiled. "Shall we?".

I couldn't help but smile and nod. Another mission with Axel? I wouldn't say no to that! He opened a Corridor, and we walked through together.

We came out of the outskirts of the large structure known as Castle Oblivion. It was _huge_. Standing on the grey pathway around it, we were dwarfed by the size of it. I had never really thought about its size, but it _did_ have thirteen floors and ten basements, so it would've made sense that it would be large. Somehow it never looked that way from the outside when I had seen it before…

I took it all in.

"So… this is Castle Oblivion…" I said, looking up at it in awe.

Axel and I walked toward the entrance. Pushing open one of the large doors, Axel walked in as I followed behind. The entranceway was enormous. There were double-height ceilings with pillars lining the walls to our left and right. Everything was a stark shade of white. I saw the small landing at the opposite side where Marluxia had stood when Sora arrived. It was the same place.

As we walked through the room, a million questions filled my mind.

"So… no one stays here?" I asked Axel as we walked.

"Nope…" said Axel.

"What about Heartless? And Nobodies?" I asked. "Nothing gets in?".

"Since we can control Heartless, and the lesser Nobodies follow our orders, no" said Axel. "Besides, there's nothing for them here. So there's no reason for them to come".

"I see…" I said, looking contemplative.

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a black wisp come from behind one of the pillars to my right. I stopped, turning my torso toward it. Axel noticed, and stopped a few paces ahead of me, looking back.

"Something wrong?" he said.

"I thought I just…" I said, but trailed off, looking at the wall behind the pillar.

There was nothing there now. I saw nothing but white. Turning back to Axel, I shook my head.

"No… I must've imagined it" I said.

I ran to catch up to Axel, who turned back toward the door at the opposite side as I joined him, before we continued walking.

"Hey! Ya know, I think we're gonna get a day off soon!" said Axel cheerfully.

"Ya think? When was the last time we got one? It seems like it's been forever…" I said. I paused, and then said, "How do you know?".

"Just a hunch" said Axel, shrugging his shoulders.

We reached the end of the hallway, and ascended the small staircase. Axel pushed open one side of the double doors, and held it as I walked through.

* * *

Mickey had appeared behind a pillar in the entranceway of Castle Oblivion. He had wanted his presence to be secret, but the wisps from him teleporting had almost given him away. He poked his head around the far side of the pillar after the two Organization members had continued walking, watching as they headed for the door, and listening to the conversation. He watched them go through the double doors at the far side of the room, the male member looking around briefly before releasing the door, and heading through himself.

Mickey had stayed to the shadows in his Organization coat, with the hood up, so as not to be noticed. Once the door closed behind them, he walked out from behind the pillar, looking ahead in concentration. He needed to come up with a plan. And soon. He teleported away a few seconds later.

* * *

The next room was slightly different than the first. it was a basic square space with landings here and there of different heights, and a flat walkway in the middle. Everything was as starkly white as it had been in the previous room. The only thing breaking the pattern was the doors at the opposite end of the room from which we had come. I looked around.

"It's so strange… seeing the rooms like this" I said. "They're all just white with no cards to fill them…".

"What, did you think they were anything else?" said Axel, surprised. "The cards just create the illusion of the worlds".

"No, I suppose not" I said. "It's just strange being here for me. Seeing it all in person". I paused. "Why are we here anyway?".

"To get something" said Axel. "Top secret".

"Everything's top secret with _you,_ Axel" I said, skeptical. "They needed to send _two_ members to retrieve this object?".

"Saïx didn't really explain to be honest" said Axel, looking up contemplatively and scratching his chin.

"And I suppose you didn't ask…" I said, a small grin appearing across my face.

"Hey, I just follow orders" said Axel, raising his hands up in surrender. "I don't ask questions that could have undesirable consequences".

I laughed. "Heh, I suppose that's a good enough reason. Ever the survivor" I said. "What's it matter as long as we complete Kingdom Hearts, right?".

"Yeah…" Axel sighed, a little quieter, and with less vigour than usual.

We continued on through a few more white rooms before coming to an area with a staircase leading down. I stopped as we approached it.

"We're going to the basement levels?" I said, surprised. I hadn't expected this.

"Yeah" said Axel. "It wasn't on this level, and Saïx said it'll either be here or in the basement levels, so we've gotta go down and check 'em too".

I sighed. Just as we entered the alcove with the staircase, I stopped as I thought about what Axel had just said.

"Wait a minute" I said. "Do you even know where this object is?".

"Not exactly" said Axel. "Saïx wouldn't be any more descriptive".

 _Oh, great_ I thought. _So we're looking for some object that I have no description of, that could be in any of the ten basements of Castle Oblivion. What could go wrong?_ I sighed, and followed Axel down the staircase, away from the brightly lit rooms of the upper floor.

As we reached the first basement, I immediately noticed a stark contrast from the upper level. Everything about the room was the same, but instead of a bright white, all the walls were lit up by a pale shade of blue. I looked at Axel, who looked as displeased at being here as I was.

"I've always hated the basement of this place…" he sighed. Clearly he had been hoping to complete the mission without coming down here.

"Ah, lighten up!" I said, trying to cheer him up. "At least you're not alone!".

He smiled. "Yeah, I suppose that's true" he said.

We walked through the first room, and then another, and then another without finding anything, going through each floor. There were no Heartless, thankfully, but it was still wearing on us. As we headed down to the fourth basement, I struck up a conversation once more.

"So, Roxas has never been here, has he?" I said.

"No, I don't think he has" said Axel thoughtfully, looking up at the ceiling. "Most of the Organization hasn't, actually. There's not really a reason for them to".

"I suppose your right" I said. "Roxas is gonna be jealous when he hears I got to go".

Just then, a wisp of white light rose up from the floor to hover a few feet in front of my chest, blocking my path, and causing me to come to an abrupt stop.

"Huh?" I said, looking at it with wide, curious eyes.

Axel walked forward a couple more paces before he noticed I wasn't with him. More of the white wisps rose up around me to the same level. I turned my torso left and right to look at them as they each floated around the small space around them. Then, just as quickly as they had arrived, they darted back down into the floor. Nothing happened for a few seconds, and then I was suddenly struck by an unbearable pain in the centre of my chest.

"Aaaaaaaaagh!" I cried as I grabbed my chest in agony, falling forward to my knees.

"Genxam! Genxam, are you alright?!" said Axel frantically, rushing over and crouching down to my level, shaking my shoulders.

I could barely feel his grip. The pain was so intense that it felt like nothing was holding me to the ground anymore. It was shaking me to my core.

"Aaaagh!" I cried, squeezing my eyes shut as another wave hit.

It was as if someone had rolled a bowling ball inside my chest. I was teetering sitting up on my knees as Axel held me there, his eyes full of fear. Another wave hit, and then another. The force of the last one knocked me out of Axel's grip, and onto my palms, bent over at the impact. One arm still clasped at my chest while the other supported me.

"It hurts…" I said, almost in a whisper.

I couldn't see or hear anything around me. I wasn't aware of my presence in Castle Oblivion anymore. I had receded to somewhere in my mind; somewhere where I couldn't feel the pain anymore. My eyes were still squeezed shut, but my mind was elsewhere in that moment.

So many thoughts rushed through my head. Fear, anger, sadness, happiness, hope, and surprise. They were almost as strong as emotions. They were so strong that they _seemed_ like emotions.

I was abruptly brought back to the present when I felt Axel roughly shaking my shoulders.

"Genxam! Genxam!" he said desperately.

I lifted my head to look up at him for a moment, but then the pain came rushing back. My face contorted, and I keeled over again.

"We've gotta get you out of here…" said Axel, his face full of worry.

He leaned down, placed me over his shoulder, and then stood up, holding me in place with his arm on my back. There wasn't much I could do in the moment. I could barely keep touch with reality. Everything seemed so far away compared to the pain I was feeling inside.

Axel opened a Corridor, and walked through with me.

* * *

"Genxam's visit to Castle Oblivion did not have the desired effect" said Saïx from his throne. "In fact, it had the opposite. Being so close to the source caused her great pain".

"It is true we do not know very much about the artifact from which the power was created" said Vexen. "I have studied it for some time, but as yet have made little progress…".

"A failed endeavour" said Xemnas calmly. "Still, our plans remain unchanged. This will not affect the outcome". He paused. "See to it that Genxam continues to perform. We would not want her to be taken by a distraction such as this".

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	41. Chapter 40 - Aftereffects

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another chapter! Hope you're enjoying the story! :)

To guest reviewer Carrie: Maybe! I've been thinking about a part of the story where I can incorporate a little of Megan's past. Look forward to it!

I know this one's a little shorter than usual, but I didn't want to combine this chapter with the next one, so it'll be a quick read! Sorry!

Now enough of my rambling! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 40 – Aftereffects**

I woke up in the bed in my castle room. I didn't have much memory of what had happened after coming back the previous day, other than that Axel had brought me from Castle Oblivion, and placed me there. The pain had subsided almost immediately after we stepped through the Corridor, but I had lost consciousness shortly after that. It was like nothing I had ever felt.

I sat up slowly in the bed, swinging my legs over to the right side near the door. Placing my hands on the bed on either side of my knees, I sat there for a moment, looking down at the ground. I needed time to think. Standing up, I opened a Corridor near the wall by the door, and walked through.

I came out on the beach of the Destiny Islands. After the Corridor closed, I stood near the water, and closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of the ocean and early morning air. The sun was still rising, and the crystal-clear waves gently lapped against the shore in front of me. It was calm; exactly what I needed right now.

As I made my way up to the bent over palm tree, I thought about the events of the previous day. What were those wisps that had assaulted me in Castle Oblivion? They were of the light… why would the light cause me such pain? Is it because I use the darkness?

I came to the bent over palm tree and seated myself in my usual spot, staring out at the sunrise. It was just as beautiful as the sunsets of Twilight Town, but my mind was elsewhere as I stared out at it absentmindedly. _Every time I think I understand what's going on, things change…_ I thought. _What's happening?_

After those wisps disappeared at Castle Oblivion, the pain I felt shook me at my very core. It was as if the centre of my being was being assaulted. In fact, the pain had emanated from the same place as I had always felt my power come from. _What_ is _this power inside me?_ I thought. I didn't have any answers. All I knew was how little I knew about it.

* * *

"Genxam is not in the castle this morning" said Saïx, his words seething.

Axel, having been summoned to the common area early once Saïx had learned this, stood in front of him, scratching his mass of red, spiky hair. He was trying not to make eye contact, but Saïx' piercing gaze bore into him no matter where he looked. He sighed, and finally turned to look at him.

"I'll go get her…" he sighed. "I know where she'll be".

* * *

I sighed, looking out at the ocean. The sun had risen to its full height now, and I could scarcely make out the mainland. I stared out, watching the waves go by. It was almost soothing.

A Corridor opened up near the foot of the palm tree I was sitting on. Axel stepped through a moment later, his face somber, looking in my direction. Once the Corridor had closed, I looked over at him.

"Oh, hey Axel" I said calmly, I was a million miles away.

He took a few awkward steps forward, rustling his hair before looking up at me.

"I thought you'd be here…" he said.

"I like this place" I said, looking back out at the water. "It's calm".

"Ya know, you can't just go where you want…" Axel began.

"I just needed some time to think" I said, still staring out.

"About what happened yesterday" said Axel.

I looked down at the ground below me, swinging my feet slightly, and then looked back up at him.

"What _is_ this power inside me?" I asked, my voice confident, but my eyes showing slight desperation. "Where did it come from?".

Axel looked at me with sympathy.

"I don't know" he said simply. "I don't have those answers. Sorry".

He looked like he wanted to help, but wasn't able to. There was nothing deceiving about his demeanor. He really didn't know. I looked down again.

Axel took up his usual spot on the palm tree, and looked out at the ocean. I looked out as well, letting my mind wander. Axel's presence had lifted my mood a bit. I smiled then, watching the waves go by as the breeze caressed my face, and closed my eyes. A few minutes later, Axel spoke.

"So, why here?" he asked. "What's special about this place?".

I looked over at him; he had turned his head in my direction. I looked back out at the ocean as I spoke.

"I don't know" I began. "There's something about being here… it's a good place to think".

"Heh, not for me" said Axel sarcastically. "The constant crashing of the waves would drive me crazy…". He motioned toward the water lapping against the raised area on which the palm tree had grown out of.

I sighed contentedly, smiling. "To each their own, I suppose" I said.

I few minutes passed in silence before I spoke again.

"How did you and Roxas find this place anyway?" I asked. "There're never any missions here…".

"It was purely by accident, actually" said Axel, grinning.

"Oh? How do you mean?" I said.

"Ya know how you think about where you wanna go when you create a Corridor?" Axel said.

"Yeah…" I said, taking on a thinking expression with a finger under my chin.

"Well, this one time, Roxas had it in his head that he wanted to go to the beach" Axel said. "It was apparently something he had overheard from the kids in Twilight Town. He had never seen one, and wanted to go".

"I think I know where this is going…" I said, smiling.

"The thing about creating Corridors to places you've never been… well, it doesn't always work out the way you think it will" Axel continued. He shrugged his shoulders, and looked at me with a what-can-you-do expression.

I giggled, bringing the back of one hand up to my mouth at how silly it was.

"You ended up here" I said. " _That's_ how you discovered the Destiny Islands?".

"Pretty much" said Axel nonchalantly. He smiled. "We did eventually find the beach those kids were talking about, but it was nothing compared to this".

"Is that what you spend your days off doing? Exploring new worlds?" I said. "Isn't that what missions are for?".

"Used to" said Axel. "You don't find gems like this just doing missions. We already had the clock tower, and once we found this place, it was enough". He paused. "A couple places where we could come to relax".

"And I suppose none of the other members know about this place…" I said.

"Nope" said Axel. "Just me, you, and Roxas. Didn't want any nosy members ruining it. Demyx'd probably play his sitar out here all day long…".

I laughed at the thought of that. Demyx playing his sitar on the Destiny Islands. I thought it would be soothing, but Axel had known him longer, and clearly didn't like the thought. I wasn't going to ruin it.

The sun was now glistening brightly off the shimmering water. The waves had subsided a bit, and the wind had turned calm. It was a new day as we looked out at the water. After a few more minutes, Axel turned to me and spoke.

"C'mon, we've gotta get you back to the castle" he said. "Saïx is furious you left on your own".

I looked over at him. "Doesn't take much to upset him, does it?" I said sarcastically.

"Only insubordination" said Axel, cracking a smile. He left his spot on the palm tree, walking a few paces back to where he had arrived, and opened a Corridor. "Coming?".

I took one last look out at the ocean before jumping down from the tree, and walking toward him. He placed his hand gently on my upper back as I walked past him, guiding me as we entered the Corridor back to the castle.

* * *

So, what did you think? Did you like it? If not, please tell me why! This one's a bit different than many of the others. I'd love to hear feedback!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Until next time! :)


	42. Chapter 41 - Moving Forward

Hi everyone!

I think this'll be the last chapter before Christmas, so if you celebrate, I hope you have a Merry Christmas! :)

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 41 – Moving Forward**

Lying in bed, I contemplated things. Axel having come to the Islands the previous day had really helped. I had needed a friend after what had happened. It had helped, and yet still I was full of so many questions that he didn't have answers to. I didn't understand this power inside me; would I ever understand it?

I sat up with my right knee bent, resting my arm on it, while the other lay flat on the bed, and looked ahead in contemplation. My confidence wavered. I was trying to stay strong, but even after talking with Axel, I hadn't gotten any answers about what had happened. He didn't know anything. I sighed. After a few more moments, I headed for the common area, not feeling as strong as I usually did.

I came to the room a few minutes later, and walked up to Saïx. If he noticed a difference in my demeanor, he didn't give any indication of it. He seemed to have been keeping a much closer eye on me since I had gone to the Destiny Islands on my own the previous day. As I approached, he spoke in his usual cold, authoritative voice.

"Genxam, depart for the town in The Land of Dragons. There is a large Heartless to be taken care of" he stated without emotion.

I nodded with a little less vigour than usual. Saïx looked down at his clipboard and marked off the mission. I walked away from him, and opened a Corridor. Taking a breath a few moments later, I walked through.

Coming out in the streets of the town surrounding the Emperor's Castle, everything was as it had been before; the narrow streets were lined with paper lanterns to light them, and everything was quiet. It was dark out. I looked around, mentally readying myself for the mission, and trying to push past what had happened at Castle Oblivion. I needed to focus; there was a mission to accomplish.

A group of Heartless appeared a short distance ahead of me. Nightwalkers that began floating in my direction. I summoned my Keyblade, eying them to come up with a plan. There were five of them, and they were coming fast. I decided to take the one on the left first.

Running toward it with my Keyblade at the ready, I took a swipe.

"Haaaaaaah!" I yelled as I slashed at it.

It fell back slightly at the impact, but bounced forward quickly. I jumped back just in time to avoid its claws coming across to impact me, throwing my arms to the sides. The others moved in at the same time, attempting to surround me. Just before they did, I jumped to the outside of the circle just before it closed. _That was close…_ I thought. It was never a good idea to allow yourself to be surrounded by Heartless.

The Nightwalker I had initially attacked had its back to me now. I took my chance and slashed at it a few more times before it disappeared, not having even noticed my presence. Following the same pattern during battle with the others, I jumped here and there, dodging and getting attacks in where I could, until they all disappeared. I stopped and took a breath. Somehow things felt harder on this mission. Harder than other solo missions I had been on. I felt more fatigued than usual.

Defeating a few more groups in town, I came to the last area before the castle. Two Assault Riders appeared, their half-horse, half-human bodies dwarfing me in size. They looked like tough opponents. As I was thinking this, they began to rush me with their spears.

The first one reached me, bringing its spear down. Summoning my Keyblade, I brought it up to parry the blow. _Why?_ I thought as I fought. _What was that reaction inside me?_ I struggled against the spear pushing down on me. The Assault Rider was slowly pushing me further to the ground as my knees began to buckle. Realizing I wasn't going to get anywhere, I scoffed, and pushed off a moment later.

It stood up straight, and began to advance again. I wasn't going to give it the opportunity this time. Running at it full speed, I slashed a few times across its torso. It didn't even get a chance to land another hit before disappearing, a heart releasing into the sky. I turned toward the other one.

Running at it with all the vigour I could manage, a got a few hits in before it attempted to stab me with its spear. I sidestepped, dodging, and then jumped back when it tried again in quick succession. _What is this power inside me?_ I thought. _Will I ever know?_ I dismissed the Keyblade, and thrust my hand out, sending a darkness blast toward it. It engulfed it, disappearing moments later.

I stood up straight, relaxing my posture. _Darkness,_ I thought. _It's become so much a part of me now. Have I become shunned by the light?_ I had used mainly darkness the whole time I had been here. There was still so much I didn't understand about my power; no one in the Organization seemed to.

I continued on toward the main square in front of the palace. Passing by the last few dimly-lit buildings of the town, I entered the vast space separating the castle from everything else. Walking in, you could hear a pin drop. It was far too quiet; there should have been guards around. The palace entrance was always heavily guarded. That meant only one thing. This was where the large Heartless had appeared.

Walking forward, I moved toward the centre of the square. All was silent as my footsteps echoed off the walls under the night sky. As I reached the centre of the area, I looked around. Nothing had changed.

Then all of a sudden, a crushing wind came down from directly above me. I grimaced and gritted my teeth as I bent my knees slightly, bowing my head, and pulling one arm over to guard against it. Once it had subsided, I looked up to see where it had come from. Flapping its wings high in the sky above me was a Storm Rider. _Another one?!_ I thought. _I thought we dealt with a Storm Rider the last time I was here!_

There was no time to think about it. It flapped its wings upward, and then dove straight toward me, beak first. I ran to the side, and threw myself out of the way just in time, sliding across the ground. The Storm Rider got up, letting out an ear-splitting cry into the air. I covered my ears; it was the most horrendous sound I had ever heard. Once it had subsided, I got to my feet, and summoned my Keyblade, running at it.

"Haaaaah!" I yelled, jumping up to attack it.

Just before I connected, it dodged and swatted me out of the way mid-air with its claws. I was sent flying across the square to land roughly on my side. I quickly got up, not beaten yet, and ran at it again. Calling on the power of darkness within me, I engulfed my Keyblade in purple and green hues as it dragged along behind me. I then jumped up, and landed a powerful attack, slashing straight from its shoulder down. Landing on the ground, I backed away a few paces. It was clearly agitated by my attack, flailing its wings here and there, before taking to the sky a moment later, creating a gust of wind that temporarily blinded me.

 _Maybe the light does shun me,_ I thought. _And maybe I don't understand this power inside me. But why? Why does no one know anything?_

Once the wind had subsided, I looked to see where the Storm Rider had gone, but it was nowhere to be seen. The moon had disappeared from the sky now. Walking toward one of the walls of the square, I squinted to see if I could make it out behind one of the dark clouds. But there was nothing there.

Then all of a sudden, moonlight came rushing back as a dark figure made a beeline for my position from it. I didn't have time to react. By the time I realized what it was, the Storm Rider was almost upon me. I tried in vain to jump out of the way last minute. Almost the full force of its attack hit, sending me flying backward, impacting the wall of the square hard.

"Ngh!" I grimaced, taking out some of the bricks on impact.

There was pain all over my body. Everything ached as I sat against the wall, slumped over from the attack. A golden glow enveloped me, curing my wounds, and I stood up to fight once again. Fight until it went down.

 _Why do I feel this way, even though I can't feel?_ I thought. _Why did those wisps affect me like that?_ There were so many questions I had, but I had to push them all aside to focus on the battle. It was going to take everything I had.

The golden glow had given me more strength to fight than before. I ran toward the Storm Rider with renewed vigour, my Keyblade poised for attack. Jumping up as high as I could, I slashed at it multiple times. Across the torso, left and right, hitting the legs, everywhere I could hit it. Backing away after the onslaught, I had expected it to go down, but it didn't. Instead, it flapped its wings, launching up into the sky, and came down for another assault.

I was able to dodge its attack this time, running in the opposite direction of the wall to behind where it would land. Once it did, I unleashed another onslaught of Keyblade attacks, ending with a fire spell, but it still didn't go down. I was running out of options. There was only one thing left I could do.

Backing away from it, I stood near the middle of the Square, and dismissed my Keyblade. Reaching my arms out to the sides slowly, and closing my eyes, I called on the power within, and unleashed the most powerful attack I had in my arsenal. The attack that had very nearly caused me to fall to darkness.

All I did was think it, and it happened. A bright, white light emanated from my body, engulfing everything in the area. The Storm Rider squealed as the light touched it, and disappeared, releasing a large heart. Any Heartless anywhere in the vicinity, in any of the buildings, or on the mountaintop, were engulfed by the blinding light. Hearts released in the distance near and far. The entire world was cleansed.

As I lowered my arms, the light receded back into me. I was filled with calm as it returned. I opened my eyes, and looked around slowly. _I guess the light hasn't given up on me after all,_ I thought, looking up at the dark sky. _If that wasn't an attack of light, I don't know what is…_ It still bothered me though. How little I really knew about this power. Having become a Nobody, I could use it at will. There was no fear of falling to darkness anymore.

The calm I felt quickly faded away, as I fell back into my shaken state. Why did my power react in Castle Oblivion? What were those wisps that rose up from the floor? I was left with only questions, and no answers. I didn't know if I would ever get those answers. I opened a Corridor to Twilight Town.

Arriving on the clock tower, I walked toward the edge and found Axel and Roxas already sitting there. I brightened up almost immediately at seeing them, pushing the events of Castle Oblivion behind me. They smiled as I walked over to my spot and sat down, Roxas handing me a stick of sea-salt ice cream. I took it gladly, smiling in return.

"Thank you" I said to Roxas with feeling. He looked slightly stunned at my words.

"Everything okay?" he asked me.

I smiled. "Everything's fine" I said, and then looked up at them. "As long as I'm with you two".

"Don't go getting sentimental on us now!" said Axel sarcastically.

"Huh?" I said, suddenly broken out of my trance-like state.

"You take a hit to the head on today's mission or something?" asked Axel playfully. "You're awfully quiet…".

I smiled cockily. Leave it to Axel to bring me out of a slump.

"Nope, but I did take out a Storm Rider all by myself!" I said, completely animated now. I put my hands on my hips, and leaned over to look at Axel. "Beat that!".

"Woah!" said Roxas. "You took out one of those things alone?!".

"I think she did get knocked on her head…" said Axel slyly. "What other explanation is there for why she was so quiet just now…?".

"Hey! You try taking out a Storm Rider alone without getting whacked!" I yelled back at him sarcastically.

We all laughed then. I always had fun joking with Axel and Roxas. I was enjoying the moment, when suddenly I felt something where my heart used to be. A feeling. A real feeling. I gasped, grabbing at my chest, and fell forward slightly, the unexpectedness of it nearly causing me to fall off the edge of the clock tower. My face displayed complete shock as I looked down.

"Woah… are you okay?" asked Roxas, reaching his hand out toward me, now worried.

"I just… felt something…" I said in disbelief, my face now in confusion trying to make sense of it. "It was small, but it was definitely there…".

I looked toward Axel and Roxas for an explanation. Their expressions went from worry to sadness as they both looked down, avoiding eye contact with me. It was then that I suddenly realized.

"What Xemnas says is a lie! You _can_ feel things! _We_ can feel things!" I said in desperation.

Axel turned back toward me with a somber face, while Roxas continued to avoid eye contact. Axel spoke quietly.

"It's never as strong as when we were Somebodies" he said. "Just echoes".

* * *

And there you go! Hope you enjoyed it!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	43. Chapter 42 - Shattered

Hi everyone!

I tried to upload this one last night, but the website seemed to be having an issue... but it's here now!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! :)

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 42 - Shattered**

I woke up, ready for a new day. Things had been tough the past little while, but I had gotten through them. It was time to move on. I got up from the bed, and headed for the common area.

Arriving in front of the alcove from a long hallway, I saw a notice pinned to the outside of the room. 'Vacation. No missions today' it said. _Axel was right,_ I thought. Finally. Finally, we were getting a day off! I couldn't remember the last time there had been one. It was long overdue.

I walked into the common area to a few members relaxing on couches, much less than the usual amount waiting around for missions in the morning. Briefly looking this way and that, I tried to find Axel or Roxas, but hung my head in dismay when I didn't see them. In the space of a few seconds, someone walked up behind me, and slapped their hand on my left shoulder.

"Wah!" I exclaimed, jumping forward and out of their grip. I turned around to see Axel standing there grinning, and pulled a pout. "Don't scare me like that!".

"Couldn't resist!" Axel laughed, taunting me.

I continued to pout until he stopped laughing, and collected himself.

"So, where to today?" I asked. "We've got the day off!".

"Wanna go for a walk outside?" asked Axel beaming.

"A… walk?" I said, completely surprised.

"Yeah, the Dusks won't bother you now that you're a Nobody" he said. "And I'm sure you're getting tired of seeing these castle walls all the time…".

I contemplated it for a moment. "What about Roxas?" I asked.

"He said to go without him. Apparently he has something to do" said Axel.

"O-oh, okay" I said, surprised.

With that, we walked out of the common room, heading for the main entrance to the castle. I had only been there once before, and had literally discovered it by accident, so Axel led the way. After walking through a few white hallways, we arrived at the large double doors. Axel pushed some buttons on a keypad to the right of it, and the doors opened on their own, extending a bridge made of energy down to the ground. He walked over to it, and began to descend.

I stared at it, dumbfounded for a moment. The last time I had tried that door, I had done it manually, and it had been _heavy_. I felt silly for not noticing the keypad to the side. Axel noticed I wasn't with him, and turned around to look back at me.

"Coming?" he said.

"Yeah!" I yelled back, breaking out of my trance, and running to catch up to him.

As we descended the energy bridge, I looked out at the city below. Everything was dark in the world of endless night, the skyscrapers illuminated by various neon lights. There were a few dusks flitting here and there on the ground, but they made themselves scarce the second we approached. I stopped briefly near the bottom of the bridge as my head fell back, surprised at this bizarre behaviour. Axel stopped a few paces ahead of me, and looked back.

"Something wrong?" he said.

"No… it's just…" I started, and then paused. "I've never seen Dusks act like this before. They've always attacked me".

Axel turned to face me fully. "Remember what I said earlier" he began. "You're a Nobody now, same as them, so they won't bother you. They're lesser Nobodies, and answer to us. You've got nothing to worry about. C'mon". He gave me an encouraging nod.

I walked the last few paces down the bridge, the Dusks having disappeared from the area, and joined Axel. As we walked down an alleyway, I looked up and around at all the tall buildings; I had never seen them up close like this before. They extended high above us, and were mostly of a uniform rectangular shape. Everything around us was dark save the neon lights, yet it didn't seem to bother me one bit.

"This is your first time out in the city, isn't it?" said Axel, noticing me looking around beside him.

"Yeah…" I said, slightly distracted. "I've only ever seen it from my window".

Axel smiled, folding his hands behind his head as we walked. "Well, it's nothing too special, but it's a nice change from the day-to-day" he said staring ahead. "I like to come out here for fresh air".

"You don't get that from missions?" I asked, turning to look at him as we walked.

"It's not the same as walking around your own world" began Axel, turning his head toward me for a moment, and then forward again as if lost in thought. "Here things seem more at ease, as there are mainly only Nobodies in this world".

"I see…" I said, looking ahead again.

I knew what he was talking about. Since we had come outside, I had noticed a difference as well. It wasn't as stifling as in the castle, and it was more relaxed than when I was out on a mission. I couldn't explain it, but being in a world surrounded by countless Nobodies seemed strangely calm to me. I guess it was because I was a Nobody now? I looked up at the dark sky as we walked; it was calm today.

We came out into an open area. It had a large building situated in the centre of it, with two sets of stairs leading up to glass windows with a star above them. The building stretched far up toward the sky, ending in a sizable TV screen with smaller screens above it. It was the area where Riku had fought Roxas.

Axel and I walked into the centre of the area, as I looked up in awe at the central skyscraper. It had to be the largest building in the city, reaching higher than any other. My concentration was broken, my eyes focusing back down to ground level a moment later, as I heard the materializing of a large amount of Heartless around us. Turning to look around the area, my body fell back in shock at what had appeared. A circle of Neoshadows had materialized around us, dancing in their places, poised to attack.

"I thought you said this world was mostly Nobodies!" I said to Axel, taking up a defensive position. Axel did the same.

"It is, but the Heartless get in everywhere. They don't usually bother us though…" said Axel hastily, looking at the number that surrounded us. He changed gears. "You need to control them! Like you've done before!". He was trying to sound confident, but couldn't completely keep the nervous tone out of his voice.

"THIS MANY?!" I exclaimed. "Are you kidding?! I've only ever controlled regular Shadows!".

"It's no different" said Axel. "Same concept".

I looked at him incredulously for a moment, before turning back toward the Heartless surrounding us. I was a little unsure, looking at them with uncertainty, but closed my eyes, trying to focus. A few seconds later, I sensed one of them jump at me. Opening my eyes and summoning the Keyblade simultaneously, I stepped forward confidently, and dispersed it with a single slash. Then, as if I had become a completely different person in the moment, I focused hard on the rest with an emotionless expression, commanding them to return to the Realm of Darkness. And they did.

I dismissed my Keyblade, standing up straight after having been in a defensive posture. Axel stood a short distance behind me, looking relieved, but also a bit surprised at the same time. _That power inside her must really be something…_ he thought. _I've never seen the Heartless act that way before…_ He stared ahead, deep in thought.

In the next moment, a small, yellow dog appeared around the corner behind where some of the Neoshadows had disappeared. It looked a lot like the dog from Disney Castle.

"Pluto?" I said, my interest piqued.

It ran off at the sound of my voice, and I immediately gave chase. Axel, who had been lost in thought, yelled after me when he noticed, reaching his hand out.

"Genxam, wait!" he yelled. "Where are you going?!".

I wasn't listening to him as I ran in the direction Pluto had gone. The dog had run down the alleyway to the left of the tallest building. I ran in the same direction, trying to find out where it had gone. I had lost sight of it, but kept going anyway.

Rounding a corner, I saw the tip of Pluto's tail slip behind a building not too far ahead. Following as quickly as I could, I rounded the bend, coming to an abrupt halt as I saw what, or rather who, was waiting for me in the new alleyway. Pluto was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Riku stood in front of me in an Organization coat with his blindfold on, silver hair hanging behind his back. I immediately took on a defensive posture at the sight of him, holding one arm out in front of me.

"Riku, I have no fight with you" I said confidently.

He stood there for a moment, silent. Then Soul Eater appeared in his outstretched hand. I took a step back in surprise, gasping.

"Well I have one with you" he said simply, and leapt at me, his weapon raised.

Not now. Now had to be the worst time. I had just gotten over the events of the past few days, and was finally getting back on track. The last thing I needed was a fight like this.

I summoned my Keyblade, parrying his attack just in time, and pushed off.

"I'm not gonna fight you!" I yelled at him.

He didn't say a word, and instead came at me again, leaping forward with his blade. I held my Keyblade up horizontally, holding the other end with my left hand, parrying his attack, but he was too strong. My legs began to buckle as he pushed his blade down against mine. I clenched my teeth, and jumped back. He walked toward me, expressionless with his blindfold on.

He was too strong. I had only ever fought Heartless. Even when I had fought Organization members, I had had no chance. Riku was way too strong for me.

I stood back, gritting my teeth, and looking at him in anger. Not to be dismayed, I stepped back, and sent a darkness blast with my free hand. He simply ran straight at it, dispersing it with a wave of his weapon, and continued on. I gasped, stepping back a bit in surprise, my face in shock.

He came at me, and I raised my Keyblade to guard. Our blades clashed again and again, each time with greater force. I was barely able to push him off. As he moved to strike again, I parried diagonally, pushing back against him with everything I had. It was a battle of brute strength; one that I wasn't strong enough to win. He slowly forced me backward as I struggled against him, my face permanently contorted in the rage of the battle.

Suddenly, without warning, he pushed me backward in one blow, sending me falling to my side on the ground a short distance away. My Keyblade clattered away and disappeared. He didn't waste any time; while I was still recovering from the blow, he walked toward me, dismissing Soul Eater, and grabbed my left arm. A Corridor opened beside me.

"You have to be told the truth" he said seriously, and then shoved me through it.

* * *

Axel came running through the alleyways, tracing the steps I had taken. Keeping his presence hidden, he leaned around a corner. Riku was knelt down petting Pluto in the dead-end alleyway, as the dog's tail wagged incessantly. There was no one else there.

* * *

I arrived stumbling through the other side of the Corridor to a room with dark wallpaper and tall windows on the wall opposite me. There were a couple of armchairs on the other side of a long table that stretched from left to right across the room in front of me. Suits of armour were scattered here and there. It looked like a dining room.

"Hello again" came Naminé's friendly voice from the left side of the room. She walked out from behind the chair on the left, coming to stand beside it. "You're called Genxam now, right?".

I looked in her direction, keeping my guard up.

"Is DiZ going to destroy me now that I'm a Nobody?" I said cautiously.

"Of course not" said Naminé.

Just then, DiZ walked in through the door on the left side of the room, followed by Riku in his blindfold.

"Listen to what we have to say before making such hasty assumptions" said DiZ as he walked across the room opposite where I was standing. He came to the armchair on the right, and sat down in it, while Riku stood to his right.

I looked at him with a fire in my eyes. I wasn't going to believe a word they said, but decided to listen anyway. What harm could it do? I could always Corridor out at any time. I relaxed my posture slightly as he looked up at me.

"What do you know of the true purpose of Organization XIII?" he asked me.

"We're working to complete Kingdom Hearts so that everyone will get hearts of their own, and become whole people" I said flatly.

"That is the goal that they tell the members" said DiZ. "It is not the true purpose of the Organization".

I looked at him without changing my expression. He wasn't going to convince me of anything. When he saw this in my eyes, he continued.

"I know you are unlikely to believe anything I say, but I will say it anyway" he began. "The true purpose of Organization XIII is to become Xehanort's thirteen darknesses. To spread Xehanort's heart among thirteen vessels. A fact that I'm sure you have learned from the story on your world, but seem to have forgotten".

I looked at him, disbelief evident on my face. He wasn't going to change my view of the Organization. What he was saying wasn't the truth. I had been with the Organization for a while now, worked together with them to collect hearts; everyone was truly passionate about our goal. There was no way that this other version of events could be true. I knew I had played the games some time ago, and didn't remember much, but this? It couldn't be true.

DiZ saw the disbelief in my eyes. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere.

"There is something else as well" he began. "Regarding the reason they captured you".

I bowed my head forward slightly, eying him, waiting for more lies.

"In addition to the thirteen darknesses, they intend to use you as Xehanort's main vessel" he said. "You are the perfect candidate. They created the power inside you".

That last sentence struck a chord inside me. I took a step back, my face visibly shocked by what he had said.

"No, it can't be true… you're lying…" I said. "You're just trying to trick me like you did before!".

"Xemnas has done a good enough job of that already" said DiZ matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" I said, relaxing my posture, my head falling back in surprise at his words.

"Think about it" he said calmly. "Remember the first time we met, shortly after they captured you. Before they filled your mind with fear". He paused. "Remember who you used to be".

It was like a lightning bolt struck inside of me. Suddenly I was filled with thoughts that what they were saying might actually be true, but I rejected it. I backed away, confusion and disbelief on my face; almost a look of fear.

I looked down, my eyes growing wide, and then reached my arm out, opening a Corridor back to the castle. It couldn't be true. It couldn't! Riku moved to stop me, but DiZ put his arm out.

"No, let her go" he said calmly.

I walked through the Corridor with haste a moment later, avoiding eye contact, conflicting thoughts swirling through my mind.

* * *

They're finally breaking through the brainwashing...

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time!


	44. Chapter 43 - Questions

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a happy new year!

I've finally figured out Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, and am now zooming through the missions (and am totally obsessed with it lol)!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 43 - Questions**

There was no way it could be true. DiZ was the bad guy. He was the one who was trying to destroy all Nobodies. That included me now. But… he said that the Organization created this power inside me. Could that really be true?

I didn't know what to believe. If DiZ really was trying to destroy all Nobodies, why didn't he end me there? Xemnas had told me himself that they were only trying to survive, and that he would see us all wiped from existence. It didn't make sense.

I sat up in bed, contemplating. It was the next morning. Could that have been why the power reacted at Castle Oblivion? Was that where it came from? I couldn't be sure of anything anymore. Who was I to trust? Everything I knew had been thrown into disarray.

As I walked to the common area, my mind continued trying to make sense of things. I had wanted to know about my power since Castle Oblivion. No one here seemed to know anything about it. Not that they were telling me anyway. Did DiZ?

Arriving through the large, arched alcove, I entered the common area. As I walked in, Axel approached from a group of couches on the right.

"Hey!" he said walking up to me.

"Oh, hey Axel" I said stopping in front of him, slightly distant.

He looked at me with concern for a moment, and then slight suspicion. "Where did you go yesterday?" he asked. "You disappeared after chasing that dog…".

"Nowhere" I said flatly, not making eye contact. "Sorry, I have to go get my mission".

I then walked past him, continuing on toward Saïx. Axel watched after me, sensing something had changed, but didn't know what. What could have happened? This wasn't usual.

My thoughts were consumed by what I had learned. _Is this what Axel meant by thinking for myself?_ I thought. _Does he know something I don't?_ My mind was in a million places as I walked up the room. Saïx looked up from his clipboard as I approached.

"Genxam, you seem preoccupied this morning" he said.

I looked up at him. "I'm fine" I said flatly, trying to look confident.

Saïx paused for a moment. "Do not allow yourself to become distracted" he then said without emotion.

I looked at him, awaiting the mission. When he saw I wasn't going to say anything else, he looked down at his clipboard.

"Depart for Beast's Castle" he then said. "Eliminate every Heartless you come across".

"Got it" I said.

I opened a Corridor, and walked through. Coming out on the bridge of the castle, I scanned the area for any immediate Heartless. There were none. It was time to start the mission.

Taking out a few groups of Shadows on the way to the castle, I walked up toward the main doors. They creaked slightly as I pushed one side open, entering into the large entrance hall. It was as grand as it had ever been, lighted by candles along the sides attached to great pillars stretching at least three stories high. It all gave way to a great staircase that led to the ballroom and east and west wings. I made my way inside, closing the door as quietly as I could behind me.

Walking a few paces forward, a group of Heartless appeared in the middle of the area ahead. Right in the middle of the carpet that ran the length of the room. There were a couple Large Bodies, some Soldiers, and Shadows. Summoning my Keyblade, I ran at them.

The Soldiers danced back and forth in place. I took out the first one without issue, but wasn't able to get to the next one before it scratched me from behind. I grimaced slightly, then turned and took it out with my Keyblade. One Soldier to go. I ran in its direction, taking it and the Shadows down in a few swift movements.

All that was left now were the Large Bodies. Turning around, I set my sights on the first one. Taking a step back, I thrust my free hand forward.

"Hah!" I yelled, sending a darkness blast straight at it. It engulfed it in no time at all, disappearing.

 _This power… this power inside me…_ I thought. _It allows me to use all these abilities._ I ran at the other Large Body, trying to take it out with the Keyblade, but failing miserably. Every time I went to attack, it turned toward me, causing the Keyblade to bounce off its large belly. I huffed, looking up at it, and gave it a dirty look.

 _I've never really stood back to think about it before,_ I thought. _All these new abilities I've acquired. I've just used them as I've learned them. Does DiZ know more about it?_

I teleported behind the Large Body, taking it completely by surprise. It turned around looking this way and that, as I began an onslaught of attacks. Before it even had the chance to turn around, it disappeared, a heart rising toward the sky. I let out a breath, dismissing my Keyblade as I continued on.

I climbed the staircase at the far side of the area, heading toward the West Hall. Taking out some Heartless near the entrance by the suits of armour, I continued on, heading toward the dungeon. There were only a few other groups that appeared before reaching the door, which I took out without issue. I opened the door to the entranceway of the dungeon, and walked in.

The entranceway had a lower area with an upper landing hanging above, halfway across the room. There was a small staircase leading up to it. The room was darker than the other areas of the castle, due to there being no windows. Although there were torches on the walls, it had a much cooler ambiance than the rest of the castle.

Taking one step into the small area, a large Heartless materialized in front of me. Having a blue, humanoid form, with horns, small wings, and a tail, it hovered in the middle of the space before me. Grasped in its hand was a large, broad sword that was poised to attack. It was an Invisible.

I stepped one foot back, taking on a defensive posture, and summoning my Keyblade. I focused all my attention on it. These things were nasty. It had taken both myself and Axel together to take one out the last time. I was on my own this time.

It made its attack, moving toward me, and slashing with its sword incredibly fast. I jumped to the right side of the chamber, turning quickly to face it as it recovered from its failed attack. Just as it turned, I ran toward it, my face in pure concentration, and jumped up, trying to get in an attack on its shoulder. It saw me coming.

Just as I leapt into the air, it pulled its sword out of the ground, and impacted my incoming Keyblade. I quickly angled it to defend, and the force of the blow sent me back to where I had started, landing sliding backward on my feet. I didn't take my eyes off it. It moved in fast, coming down for another attack with its sword. I ran to the back of the room, narrowly avoiding its blade. I started to breath heavily.

Does _DiZ know more about this power inside me?_ I thought. He seemed to know a lot of things. I didn't know if I could trust him. I needed to know more about this power, and he was my only link right now.

I summoned the power within me to the Keyblade, enveloping it in green and purple hues with the power of darkness. Holding it behind me, I ran at the Invisible with renewed vigour.

"Haaaaaah!" I yelled, bringing the darkness-imbued weapon up to attack.

I got in one attack, and then another. The Invisible was sent back a short distance, its arms in front of its torso in defence. I had weakened it, but it wasn't time to celebrate just yet. The battle was only getting started.

The next thing I knew, it threw its arms out to the sides, and then forward in a single motion, sending a large ball of dark energy directly at me. I quickly raised my Keyblade to intercept it. The ball of darkness hung there for a moment, pushing against me of its own accord as I struggled against it, before disappearing. Just as it vanished, the Invisible came in for another strike with its sword raised.

I slid underneath it just as it came in for the attack. Now behind it, I had a clear opening, and took it. I slashed again and again with the Keyblade, imbued with darkness. It did heavy damage to the Invisible. I stopped as soon as I saw it begin to turn around, jumping back a distance.

It hovered there, preparing its next attack. I brought out another skill from my arsenal. If I was going to beat this thing, I needed to use more darkness. Small rock debris around me began to lift into the air as I called on the power inside. I lifted as many as I could, holding them, waiting for the imminent attack that would come from the Invisible. It came at me seconds later.

I willed every rock I was holding in the air toward it. Large and small, they shot forward at lightning speed from all around me, and impacted the large Heartless. It took every impact in stride, its shoulder falling back with each hit, and then moving forward again. Even with all the smaller rocks expended, it continued to advance.

I wasn't done yet. There was one boulder I hadn't thrown. It was floating in the corner, and was the size of half my height. I lifted it high off the ground, and brought it forward as the Invisible made to come down on me. In one quick motion, I sent it straight at its chest.

It impacted it head on, breaking into a million pieces as it fell. The Invisible froze, a dark light beginning to envelop it, until it disappeared in a puff of darkness a moment later. A heart released into the ceiling. It was over.

I fell forward slightly, exhaling, and allowing myself to let go of all the power I had just used, breathing heavily from the adrenaline. I dismissed the Keyblade in my hand. The final battle was over. Standing up straight, I took a deep breath. That had been tough. It was time to head to the clock tower. After collecting myself, I opened a Corridor.

On arrival, the sunset in the sky was slightly deeper than usual. It was clearly later in the day. Walking around the corner, I spotted Axel and Roxas still working on their sticks of sea-salt ice cream in silence. When Roxas saw me, he pulled his out of his mouth to speak.

"Somebody's late!" he said teasingly as I walked by him.

"I had a really tough mission today…" I sighed, sitting down beside him. I was too tired to say anything else.

I stared out at the sunset vacantly, deep in thought about things.

"She's at it again!" said Axel playfully. He leaned over toward me, and flicked my shoulder, causing me to jump, completely breaking my train of thought. "You spacing out on us?".

"Ow! N-no!" I said, flailing my arms in front of me, feigning a smile, and trying to look innocent.

"What's on your mind?" asked Roxas.

"Nothing!" I exclaimed to him, still trying to look inconspicuous, but they weren't buying it.

"Don't make us prod it out of you…" said Roxas grinning mischievously. He then began pushing and prodding me sideways, as I pushed him back.

"What? H-hey! Stop that!" I protested.

I started laughing then, as we continued our fist fight, Roxas and Axel breaking out shortly thereafter. After we had stopped, I let out a breath, looking at them contentedly. They looked back at me happily, glad to see a smile on my face.

* * *

Ah, Axel and Roxas. Ever the cheerer-upers.

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	45. Chapter 44 - Revelations

Hi everyone!

So you've probably noticed the title change. I changed it on the advice of a reviewer, as it definitely didn't match this story anymore lol. I tried to make it and the description encompass the events of the entire story. Hope you like it!

Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 44 – Revelations**

I looked out the window of my castle room at Kingdom Hearts in the dark sky, and then placed a hand over my chest, feeling the power inside. A power I knew nothing about. Everything was different now. I couldn't just continue on like I had been. I had to know more.

Upon arriving in the common area a short while later, I walked up the room toward Saïx in his usual spot. Axel and Roxas were nowhere to be seen; they must've already departed for their missions.

"Genxam, depart for Olympus Coliseum" said Saïx as I approached. "You are on heart collection again today".

I gave him a slight nod before opening a portal, and walking through. Arriving in the large area at the entrance of the Coliseum, the area was lined with boards that listed champions of the various Cups offered. I glanced at them from afar, wondering if Sora was listed on them. Surely, he was. There was no way he wouldn't have tried for it. That kid could do anything he put his mind to.

I walked forward, slightly distracted as I thought about things. _If only I knew more about myself…_ I thought. Suddenly, a group of Powerwilds materialized around me. One jumped up immediately, coming in with its claws raised to swipe at me. Breaking out of my trance, I quickly summoned the Keyblade, and slashed it away. I jumped into action.

A few minutes later, the last one disappeared as I lunged forward, slashing it fatally across the torso. I stood up straight, looking ahead of me at nothing in particular. My thoughts were consumed by what I had learned, and I couldn't shake it. I dismissed the Keyblade.

 _Axel, Roxas, I'm sorry,_ I thought. _I have to know more about this power inside me._ I opened a Corridor to Twilight Town. Taking one last glance around, I walked through.

Stepping out onto the large patch of lush green grass in front of the mansion, the Corridor closed behind me. I turned to face the large iron gate, and looked up at the familiar sight of the two-story building. All was quiet as I stood there for a minute, trying to gain the confidence to go in. A moment later, a Corridor opened ten feet to my right, and a single person walked through.

I looked over at them as the Corridor closed. It was Riku. His eyes were covered by a blindfold like the last time I had seen him, and he wore the Organization coat. There were a few seconds of silence as I looked at him, and he seemingly looked at me.

"You came back" he said flatly.

I turned my body to face him. There was no expression on my face. No malice, nor curiosity.

"I want to know more about this power inside me" I said to him confidently.

He studied me for a moment, likely trying to determine if I was being truthful, and then reached his hand out behind him, opening a Corridor.

"Come with me" he said, and then walked through.

I paused for a moment, and then followed. Coming out the other side, I arrived in the same area of the Dining Room as I had been in the last time. The long table stretched along to my right, and Riku stood facing me with a stoic expression, leaned up on the wall opposite where I had arrived, watching. The Corridor closed behind me. I turned to see DiZ sitting across the table in the same armchair as before. Naminé was nowhere to be seen. She must've been in the White Room.

"You may speak freely here, Genxam" said DiZ calmly. "The Organization will not be able to track you. We have been jamming the signal since you arrived outside the mansion".

I looked over at Riku, now to my left, whose expression remained unchanged, and then down at the ground. This was what I had come here for. I had to know. I looked up DiZ confidently.

"What do you know about this power inside me?" I asked. "Zexion said it rivals Kingdom Hearts' power".

His expression unchanging, DiZ took a moment before responding.

"You had best come and sit down" he said, motioning to the other armchair situated a short distance beside him. "That is not a simple answer".

I looked at him, my head falling back slightly in surprise at the offer. When he saw this, he spoke again.

"Do not be frightened" he said, trying to sound friendly, but still as mysterious as always. "You would not be here if you did not trust us".

I relaxed my shoulders slightly, but not completely. Turning and walking around the table, I passed in front of Riku, who watched me, and came to sit in the chair on the other side that was beside DiZ. After I became situated, he spoke.

"Just over a year ago, I happened to make a discovery while in Castle Oblivion" he began. "I was there with King Mickey to assist Riku in his early days, as I'm sure you know".

I nodded, listening intently.

"While in the basement levels, I came across a laboratory" he continued. "As I read through the notes on the table, I sensed a power unlike any I had felt before".

 _DiZ looked up from the papers on the large metal table he was reading them from in the center of the small room._

"A bright light was emanating from one of the large canisters in the corner of the room" he said.

 _He walked around the table to a large, cylindrical metal container beside tables filled with various scientific implements in the corner of the room, where a bright light was shining through the lid._

"When I approached it, I was overwhelmed by the raw power that was being released" he said.

 _As he removed the lid, the room lit up a bright white as the contents of the container swirled around inside. The force of the raw power within was suffocating._

"I knew that this power in the hands of anyone, especially a group such as Organization XIII would be disastrous for the worlds" he continued. "No one should have such a power". He paused. "I didn't know how they had created it, but knew it needed to be destroyed".

 _DiZ reached carefully into the canister, holding the ball of light in his hands. He stared at it momentarily as it swirled there, emanating raw power that was almost overwhelming. Pulling out a small metallic device with a spout from his cloak, he tried to use it to absorb and seal the orb into itself, but the second he activated the mechanism, it fought back, destroying the device right in his hand._

"I was unable to destroy it, so I sent it across the worlds in the hope that it would forever be in motion, never discovered by anyone, and eventually disappear" he continued. "But it took on a course that I never could have predicted".

 _DiZ thrust his hand up, sending the orb of light flying through the castle walls, and up into the sky. It reached the cosmos shortly thereafter, drifting through space. It passed many worlds in the known universe, before entering a black hole at the opposite end of it._

"It left our universe, and I thought it had been destroyed" he continued. "But that was not the case". He paused. "It found its way to a world populated by many people. It made its way onto this world to seek out a new home, and took refuge in a young child". He paused again, changing gears. "It wasn't until months later that I realized it had become sealed within you. We have been watching you ever since".

I looked at him, expressionless as I took it all in, before speaking.

"What makes you think I believe any of what you're saying?" I said calmly.

"You wouldn't have come if you thought we would lie to you" said DiZ. "You came because you knew something was amiss"

I looked down at the ground for a moment, and then back up at him. "Heh. Yeah, I guess you're right" I said, a slight grin appearing across my face.

It was quite an extraordinary story. And it made a lot of sense with what had happened. DiZ interrupted my thoughts.

"Do you remember when the power found you?" asked DiZ.

I thought about it for a moment, tilting my head slightly. An early memory came to the surface that had long been buried.

 _A young Megan, about three or four years old, wearing a white t-shirt, blue shorts, and having shoulder length light brown hair, sat in her room playing with toys. She stood up to leave when suddenly everything around her went to complete darkness. A ball of light the size of her head drifted down in front of her from above._

"I can scarcely remember seeing a bright light when I was little…" I said.

 _Megan looked at the ball hovering in front of her face with curiosity, tilting her head slightly as she watched it. In the next moment, the ball grew blindingly bright, enveloping the entire area. She raised her hands in front of her face to block her eyes from it._

"It enveloped me" I said. "All I remember after that is waking up in my bed the next morning". I paused. "I didn't really think much of it then. I just continued on. I had forgotten all about it until now…".

I looked at DiZ in realization. He watched as I filled in the blanks.

"That came from you…" I mused. "And it was created by the Organization".

"Yes, and they were less than content when they found out what I had done" said DiZ. "It didn't take them long to track you down after I did. They knew they couldn't get the power back since it was inside you, so they made multiple attempts to get to you. They wanted to use the power that had been taken from them". He paused. "We managed to stave them off many times, but they came up with more elaborate plans with each attempt, and eventually caught us completely off guard".

"That was when they appeared in my room…" I said, continuing. "And took me captive".

"Precisely" DiZ finished.

I thought about it for a moment. It all made sense. I held my chest, feeling the power inside. It had been there my whole life, and I hadn't known it. That was why all this had happened. Another thought hit me.

"But then, how did the events in this universe—even events that have yet to happen, end up in a video game on my world?" I asked.

"Once the power found its way to you, it must have irreparably changed things in the universe. It was the cosmos' way of balancing things, I suppose…" said DiZ.

"Something else doesn't make sense" I said, scrunching my eyebrows together in concentration, and tilting my head sideways. I looked up at him. "You said it went inside me as a child…". I paused. "Saïx told me after they brought me here that hardly any time passes in my world compared to this one. According to what you've said, you only sent the power away a year or two ago, which would be hardly any time on my world. How does that make sense?".

DiZ patiently began to explain.

"Time is a fickle thing" he said. "At that point, time on your world actually moved faster than here. Now it is the reverse. That explains how you've grown up on your world when it has only been a couple of years for us" said DiZ.

I looked down at the ground, thoughts of regret in my mind.

"Some good all that extra time did me…" I said. "I knew the events of this universe, but I still fell for Xemnas' lies".

"You could not have known what would and would not happen based on your version of events" said DiZ. "I told you that things were different here shortly after you arrived. Do not blame yourself".

He got up from his chair.

"Come. Let us visit Naminé in the White Room" he said. "A change of scenery to process the information you have just learned".

I looked up at him, expressionless, still trying to process everything he had just said. He walked behind my chair as I stood up to follow. Riku pushed off the wall and walked with me as we went through the door beside where he had been leaning. It opened up into the starkly white room I had seen only once before in person. Naminé sat in the chair at the end of the long, white table near where we walked in, and smiled friendily at me.

I passed along the wall behind her looking at each of the drawings pinned there as I walked around the room. There was a picture of Sora, Riku, and Kairi together on the beach of the Destiny Islands, as well as a picture of Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Another picture showed Sora and Roxas holding hands. DiZ, Riku, and Naminé watched from the doorway as I walked around the room.

I came to a picture near the back that I didn't recognize. It showed Kingdom Hearts hanging in a dark sky with a person in an Organization coat standing in front of it. They had long brown hair with faint blonde streaks, and held a Keyblade with swirls of light and dark diagonally to the ground. _Is that… me?_ I thought, looking at it. Seeing the drawing of Kingdom Hearts suddenly caused a memory from the games to come rushing into my head.

I remembered it now. The scene at the end of Dream Drop Distance where Young Xehanort had revealed Organization XIII's true purpose. I remembered everything about the scene. Master Xehanort explaining how the members were all to serve as the thirteen darknesses, and trying to take Sora into his new Organization.

It had been so long since I'd played the game, I had completely forgotten about it. How could I have forgotten such an important part? I had only remembered the events of Kingdom Hearts II clearly; the part about the Nobodies getting hearts of their own. I felt silly. Everything DiZ had said about the Organization's true purpose was true. And that meant that what he had said about my purpose there was true as well.

Turning around and walking back toward the others, I caught a bit of the conversation Riku was having with Naminé.

"That idiot…" said Riku, sighing. "He's always getting himself into trouble…".

I giggled, holding the back of my hand up to my mouth as I walked up, coming to a stop in front of them.

"You're a lot more like Sora than you think, you know" I said, smiling.

Riku looked at me with surprise. Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I could tell his expression from the rest of his face. He had relaxed quite a bit since earlier. He turned to face me.

"You can laugh" he said, surprise evident in his voice.

"Of course I can" I said. "What? Did you think just because I don't have emotions, I forgot what they're like?" I paused. "Just because we don't have emotions, doesn't mean we don't remember them".

I looked at Naminé. She smiled back at me. I suppose she hadn't had much reason to laugh for some time, so Riku had never seen a Nobody show it before.

"No, I guess not…" he said, looking at me. "I guess I didn't know what to expect".

I looked away for a moment, thinking about my time as a Somebody in the Organization, as opposed to the Nobody I was now. Looking back up at him, I spoke.

"It's a little strange, but what Saïx said in the games pretty much sums it up" I said. "I can't feel anything, but I remember what it was like". I paused. "Even if I can't feel anything, laughing and joking with Axel and Roxas made me more alive".

Riku smiled, remembering his own time with Sora and Kairi on the islands before they were separated. He knew what I was talking about because we had both experienced similar friendships. Once he had finished reminiscing, he looked up at me and changed gears.

"So, which name should we call you by?" he asked in a friendly tone.

I thought about it for a moment, but the choice was an easy one to make.

"Genxam" I said. "That's the name I'll use so long as I'm a Nobody. It'll help me keep things separate".

* * *

She's finally with the good guys! Wahoo!

You have no idea how long I've been planning this chapter. Literally. I was so excited to finally write it!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	46. Chapter 45 - Loyalties

Hi everybody!

Busy busy with the new semester already! Right into it! Man it's cold outside! Brr...

Happy January!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 45 - Loyalties**

"Genxam did not return from her mission yesterday" said Saïx from his throne. "And her tracker is not transmitting. We believe her to have defected".

 _She did seem to be a bit off lately…_ thought Axel, looking down at the ground from his throne.

"It is unlikely the tracker has been removed" continued Saïx. "Most likely the signal is being blocked as before, leaving only one option as to her whereabouts".

Axel looked up him then. "You mean she's at the mansion in Twilight Town…" he said.

"Precisely" said Saïx. "The Organization does not treat defectors lightly". His voice had become icy; his glance bored into Axel as he looked at him. "You will bring her back".

"How do you know she's there of her own will?" asked Axel, trying to act nonchalant.

"Surely her change in demeanour as of late has not escaped you Axel" said Saïx matter-of-factly. "it has become even more pronounced since your little stroll through the city the other day".

Axel looked a little taken aback, avoiding Saïx gaze, and looking straight ahead. He HAD noticed a change, but hadn't done anything about it. _I figured she just needed some time…_ he thought. _I didn't think it would come to this…_

Saïx continued, "You will retrieve Genxam, or you will not like the consequences" he said dangerously.

Axel looked up at him. "So… you'll turn me into a dusk…" he said quietly.

"We know about your attempts to help her" said Saïx. "Do not think that has not gone unnoticed". He paused, switching gears. "What has happened to you, Axel? You've gone soft. You were the one who captured her in the first place".

Axel didn't answer, instead looking down again and avoiding eye contact.

* * *

I opened my eyes, waking up in one of the various rooms in the mansion. I was lying in a bed with a dark brown headboard that was rounded at the top, under a comforter that was a mishmash of dark red and brown, creating a burgundy undertone. The room was much darker than the setting I had become accustomed to in the castle; the walls had a dark wallpaper lining them, similar to that of the dining room. There was a small, square window at the back, with a side table to its right, and the bed I lay in to the right of that, against the wall. The door was directly across from me at the other end of the room. It was wood with some ornate carvings on it.

I couldn't believe everything that had happened. I couldn't believe I had fallen for Xemnas' lies for so long. He had kept me right under his finger this whole time and I hadn't even been aware of it. It was probably similar to how Roxas was kept in the dark about things too. A semblance of freedom to do whatever we wanted, so long as the days' mission was completed. To hang out on the clock tower and enjoy time with friends, blissfully unaware of what was actually going on.

Roxas. He was probably in the dark about all this as much as I had been until now. Most of the members were. He was an innocent kid, Sora's Nobody, being taken advantage of. Xemnas had only told everyone the fake goal; the goal of completing Kingdom Hearts to become whole people.

I sat up in the bed, shaking my head. It was a lot to think about, now that everything was in perspective. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Then, walking toward the door, I opened it, and went out into the hallway.

It stretched on for a while from both the left and right sides, with dark brown panelling, and ornate carvings on pillars every now and then. The floor was a hard carpet of dark reds and browns intermixed under my standard-issue, black Organization boots. Riku had shown me to the room to get some sleep once night had fallen the previous day.

 _"Get some rest" said Riku. "I know it's a lot to take in; especially with everything that you've been led to believe". He smiled, trying to look friendly, and walked off._

I headed to the left, in the direction we had come from from the main area of the mansion. Walking through the door at the end of the hall, I came out above the main entranceway, on the second-floor landing across from the grand staircase. Checking both the White and Dining Rooms, DiZ and Riku were nowhere to be found. _I wonder if they're in the basement...?_ I thought. I walked down the staircase, and headed through a door that I thought might lead there. Walking through various metal-walled corridors after a descending another set of stairs, I came to a door where I could hear voices on the other side. I opened it, and walked in.

DiZ was at his seat in front of multiple monitors, Riku standing beside him. They turned around as I entered.

"I trust you slept well?" asked DiZ.

"Yes... thank you" I said.

I walked up to join them, looking at the monitors. DiZ turned back around in his chair as I came to stand to his left, Riku on his right.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked.

"Keeping an eye on what's going on in the worlds" said Riku.

"So, where's Sora now?" I asked.

"He's currently on The Grid in Hollow Bastion" said DiZ. "They've been having some trouble with the town's security system, so Sora went in to help out". He paused. "We have been keeping a close watch on him, as well as the activities of the Organization. As you well know, they are using him for heart collection to complete Kingdom Hearts".

"To bring back Master Xehanort" I said.

"Correct" said DiZ. "And Kingdom Hearts is almost complete. We must act with haste. Sora is making his way toward The World That Never Was, however I fear he may be too late".

"How can I help?" I asked.

"You can assist Riku" said DiZ. "You have the ability to create Dark Corridors; an invaluable skill that you both possess". He paused. "However, the Organization will be able to track you as soon as you leave the mansion so long as that chip is inside you. It will have to be removed and-".

Just then an alarm sounded from the console DiZ was sitting at. He turned toward it and pushed a few buttons, bringing up a video feed of the front of the mansion just outside the gate. Axel stood there, looking up at the mansion.

"Looks like they managed to find her even with the tracker jammed" said Riku.

"It's Axel" I said. "He must've known I'd come here".

* * *

 _Why do_ I _always get stuck with these jobs?_ thought Axel. He sighed. Saïx wasn't going to let this one fly. He even knew about Axel's words of caution to Genxam. He thought he was careful, but he had been found out. Now he was stuck with the job of bringing her back.

* * *

"What do we do?" said Riku.

"There isn't much we can do" said DiZ.

"I'll go talk to him" I said confidently. "He's not going to leave so long as he knows I'm here".

"Are you sure that's wise?" said DiZ, turning to me.

"He's tried to help me in the past; he's my friend" I said, looking at him. "I'm sure I can get through to him".

"I don't like this…" said Riku. "You'll be too exposed".

I looked up at him. "Trust me" I said seriously. "I have no intention of going back". I smiled weakly at him, and he relaxed slightly.

"Fine" he finally said. "We'll watch from here, but be careful".

I nodded to him, and then to DiZ, before opening a portal, and walking through. Coming out in front of the mansion gate, I turned my back to it to face Axel, who simply gave me a somber look.

"I figured this was where you'd be…" he said.

"And I suppose you're here to take me back…" I said.

Axel just looked at me, conflicted.

"You always follow their orders! You've got to stop! You don't know what Xemnas has planned for all of you!" I said desperately.

"I'm a Nobody; what else can I do? You should understand; you're one now too" he said calmly. He paused. "We're nothing, Xemnas gave us purpose".

"We're not nothing! We exist, no matter what anyone says! You're standing here in front of me just like I'm here in front of you!" I said with passion. I paused, taking a breath. "You told me to think for myself, not just to follow what the others say! Follow your own advice!" I pleaded.

It was a stand-off. I looked at Axel, pleading in my eyes, watching his expression for any indication that I was getting through to him. But there was none. A silence filled the air.

"If you really are my friend, you'll let me go" I said calmly, standing up straight.

"You know I can't do that" said Axel. His tone showed no hesitation, but I could tell he was torn.

"I won't go back" I said firmly.

"I'm not giving you a choice" said Axel.

I sighed, hanging my head slightly, knowing that it would come to this, and then looked back up at him. "Then come at me" I said. "I'm not giving up without a fight". I reached my hand out to the side, summoning my Keyblade.

"Heh" said Axel, a slight grin appearing across his face as he summoned his chakrams. "I'd expect nothing less".

He leapt at me, coming in to attack with his right chakram first. I parried it, bringing my Keyblade up horizontally in front of my face, and struggled against him, eventually pushing off when I wasn't getting anywhere. He came at me again almost immediately, and I parried it, but this time he pushed me toward the gate. I staggered, stumbling backwards to come just in front of it. He gave me no quarter; as soon I had regained my balance, I saw him come at me again. I dodged to the right, landing in front of the brick wall beside the gate. Axel wasn't kidding around. He was using his full strength.

I began to call on the power of darkness inside me. My body began to glow hues of purple and green, but then a sudden attack from Axel interrupted the process. I lost my concentration, and parried his attack just in time, the darkness dissipating.

"Grr…" I clenched my teeth, looking at him in frustration.

I pushed off again. I was no match in a battle of brute strength. As he lunged at me again, I ran around behind him, now standing with my back to the bricks to the left of the gate. He quickly turned and threw a chakram straight at me. The suddenness of it caught me off guard. I brought up the Keyblade to deflect it, but the force of it was so strong it sent me stumbling backward.

* * *

"She's in trouble" said Riku, watching the battle on the monitor.

"There's nothing that we can do for her at this point" said DiZ. "She must fight this battle on her own".

* * *

Two seconds later, Axel had his chakram to my throat, pinning me to the brick wall. I struggled, bring my hands up to trying and wrench it out of the brick, and away from my neck to get free, but it was pointless. He held it there firmly as he looked at me.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" he said. "This is the same as how we first met".

I stopped struggling for a moment, and looked up at him with a dirty look. He smirked.

"You're much more defiant now though" he teased.

I continued trying to get out of his trap, and swung my Keyblade at him, but he was just far enough away to be out of reach. In the next second, he hit me on the back of the head with his free hand, causing me to fall into sleep.

"No…" I said as I slipped into unconsciousness. _This can't be happening…_

My Keyblade fell out of my hand, landing on the ground and disappearing. As I fell, Axel removed his chakram from the wall, and caught me with his arm as I fell over it.

"Why did it have to come to this…" he muttered somberly, holding my unconscious self under his shoulder.

* * *

Axel always follows orders...

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review please!

Until next time! :)


	47. Chapter 46 - Prisoner Again

Hey everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. It is freaking FREEZING outside. Stay warm if it's the same for you! And good luck with whatever your current endeavour is!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 46 - Prisoner Again**

"Axel has successfully retrieved Genxam" reported Saïx from his throne. "She will be unable to leave us again. I have had Vexen make sure of that".

"Good" said Xemnas. "And what of her abilities?".

"The measures we were required to take will diminish her powers, but it matters not, as we will remove them when the time comes, and she will be back to full strength" said Saïx. "We are almost ready".

"Excellent" said Xemnas.

* * *

I opened my eyes to a white ceiling, blinking a few times as I looked up at it. I had been brought back. Back to The Castle That Never Was. The last thing I remembered was Axel knocking me unconscious in front of the mansion in Twilight Town. I could tell he was just following orders, but I couldn't be here. I didn't care how many times he would come after me; I had to get away.

I sat up in the bed, swinging my legs over to the right side near the door. As I raised my right arm to create a Corridor, I noticed a strange bracelet around my wrist that hadn't been there before. It was silver, about half an inch thick, and an inch wide. Disregarding it, I reached my hand out to create a Corridor. But nothing happened. A few wisps of darkness appeared from my hand, but nothing more. I extended my arm further, tensing harder as I tried and failed to create a Corridor.

"W-what?" I said, pulling my arm back slightly, and looking at my hand. "What's going on?".

Xigbar walked out from the shadow in the corner of the room beside the dresser.

"You can't create Corridors anymore, not so long as that bracelet's on" he said matter-of-factly, indicating it. "You lost that privilege once you ran away".

I looked at him in surprise for a moment, and then down at the metallic device on my wrist. It was wrapped around tightly, not leaving any openings with which to grip underneath it. I tried to wrench it off with my other hand, but it wouldn't budge. After countless attempts, my fingers began to hurt. I huffed, and looked up at Xigbar, giving him a dirty look. He just smirked.

"Ya know, you're lucky they brought you back and didn't destroy you" he continued, waving his hands in the air. "The Organization doesn't take defectors lightly". He paused, changing to a deeper voice. "But I suppose you're not a normal member…".

I looked at him with defiance.

"Xehanort is not gonna get my power!" I spat back determinedly.

Xigbar raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by the information I had just revealed I knew. He then returned to his usual collected façade.

"Well, I guess the cat's outta the bag!" he said. "Little good it'll do you now though. Plan's almost complete". He waved his hands up in the air, and shook his head as if nothing could be done to stop it.

I wasn't ready to give in just yet. I knew the truth now. I knew everything that was going on. The reason they had brought me here in the first place. The reason they had honed my power; saved me from falling to darkness. They were just preparing me to be a new, powerful vessel for Master Xehanort. I wasn't going to let that happen.

Now that I knew the truth, I could fight back. I may not have been able to create Corridors, but I knew where the front door was. Giving Xigbar an even more defiant look, I got up from the bed, and ran for the door. He didn't try to stop me, instead just grinning evilly as I opened the door and left the room.

I ran through the castle corridors, taking the way Axel had shown me that one time. No one was around to stop me, which I thought was a little strange, but continued anyway. As I came upon the large area where the main double doors of the castle were, a single Organization member blocked my way. Saïx. He stood directly in front of the doors, giving me a disapproving look as I approached and came to a stop.

"Genxam, you are forbidden to leave the castle" he said emotionlessly.

I looked at him seriously, everything I had learned coming to the forefront of my mind.

"Does Axel know what the real plan for the Organization is?" I said. "I know you two are friends. I saw you walking together in Radiant Garden when you were younger". I paused. "When Axel met Ven". The expression on his face didn't falter, but a slight change in his demeanor proved that what I was saying was correct. I continued. "Do _you_ even know what Xemnas' real plan is?".

Saïx' face neither confirmed nor denied a response to my last sentence. He wasn't giving anything away. After a moment, I looked down at the ground and spoke without looking at him.

"I wanted to believe you guys were good. I really did" I said. I paused, and then looked up determinedly. "I can't stay here".

I took a step to walk past him, but he blocked my path, this time summoning his claymore.

"If you will not listen to words, I will stop you by force. It is that simple" he said.

I clenched my teeth. It was going to come to a fight. I should've known I wouldn't be able to get away that easily. This was Organization XIII I was dealing with. You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you.

"Have it your way" I said, summoning my Keyblade.

I didn't want it to come to a fight, but I had no choice. I had to escape. I couldn't let them have this power inside me. Encompassing the Keyblade with the power of darkness, I ran at him.

"Haaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled angrily.

Saïx brought down his claymore in a single motion just as I approached. The force of the impact on my Keyblade sent me flying backwards against the far wall.

"Ngh!" I grimaced as my back impacted. I slid down the wall, slumping to the ground.

After recovering slightly, I got up and thrust my arm out, sending a blast of darkness straight at him. Another motion of his weapon dispersed it on impact, and the ensuing shockwave sent me crashing back against the wall, falling down once again with a pained expression. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment as I slumped over in agony. Saïx walked a few paces forward, coming within earshot of my position.

"You do not know how to control the full extent of the power within you. We taught you everything you know. Do you really think you can oppose us?" he said.

He pulled a small device out of his pocket. As he turned the dial on it, the wisps of darkness faded from my Keyblade, the power within me being suppressed further, but I was too incapacitated to notice. I lifted my head a few moments later, and focused all my attention on him. In the next moment, with a burst of adrenaline, I ran at him again, raising my Keyblade to attack. The result was the same. He simply impacted me with his claymore, and I was sent back to the same wall I had come from, impacting it even harder this time. I got up and ran at him again and again; each time he moved closer to the wall where I landed.

After the fifth time, I was unable to get up anymore, breathing heavily, and looking at the ground in defeat as I slumped in my sitting position against the wall. I could see him walking toward me out of the corner of my eye, coming to a stop a short distance away while holding his claymore to the side. There was nothing I could do. I began coughing from all the impacts I had sustained, and keeled over holding my chest.

Just then, the sound of another pair of boots came rushing over from the side, and I felt an arm on my back. I looked up briefly to find Axel crouched down beside me with a look of concern, and then defensiveness on his face. He looked up at Saïx.

"You didn't have to do that" he said.

Axel placed my arm over his shoulder, and helped me to a standing position, looking at Saïx with disapproval. Saïx dismissed his weapon, his expression unchanging as he spoke.

"She is still expected to perform today" he said icily.

Axel looked at him, and then walked with me carefully, supporting my every move as we moved in the opposite direction of Saïx and the large doors of the castle. As we walked through the corridors, the aching all over my body subsided, and I was able to walk on my own. He kept a close watch to make sure I was alright as he guided me, making our way to the common area. By the time we arrived, the pain had mostly subsided.

He entered through the alcove with me, and after ensuring I was okay, walked off. I was only standing there a moment when Roxas walked up from a grouping of couches on the opposite side that Axel had walked to. He had a look of innocent concern on his face as he looked at me. Concern, but also confusion.

"Genxam, I'm sorry for what happened to you. Axel shouldn't have been so rough" he said seriously, but then with a hint of confusion. "…but why did you run away?".

My eyes met his. There was no suspicion. No malice, nothing. He was genuinely confused. He didn't know what was going on. They had kept him in the dark just as much as they had me.

"Roxas, you'll always be a good kid to me" I began with a pained expression. "I know none of this is your fault, but you have to know what they have planned for all of you".

Roxas looked at me with genuine surprise on his face. I opened my mouth to continue when Xigbar grabbed my arm from behind, and dragged me away, preventing me from saying any more. I looked back at Roxas with a desperate expression as I was pulled against my will; he just had a confused look on his face. He didn't get it.

Now at the back of the room, and as far away from everyone else as possible, Xigbar stopped and released my arm. I yanked it away from him as soon as he loosened his grip, giving him a dirty look.

"What was that for?!" I exclaimed as harshly as I could.

Xigbar just smirked. "Can't have you spillin' the beans on us, now can we?" he said. He then smirked. "Not that anyone would believe you anyway". He reached his hand out and opened a Corridor. "Time for you to complete your mission".

I turned to look at the Corridor, backing away slightly, when Xigbar pushed me roughly from behind. I stumbled into the darkness, losing sight of the castle. Xigbar followed, casting a sly grin at Roxas across the room just before entering. Roxas had a look of concern on his face.

Stumbling out of the Corridor, I arrived onto hard, dusty ground. Once I had regained my balance, I stood up straight, looking around. There were scoreboards and two sets of large doors at opposite ends. Pillars lined the walls on opposite sides, and the sun shone brightly high in the sky. Shock hit me as I recognized where we were.

"Olympus Coliseum?" I said to no one in particular.

Xigbar had arrived behind me, and made his way to stand on my left.

"Yeah. The mission you bailed on" he said. "Still gotta be done".

I turned and looked at him incredulously.

"You really think I'm just going to keep going like nothing's changed?!" I exclaimed. "I'm not gonna fight Heartless for you!". I looked at him defiantly.

He merely grinned again, and then pushed me forcefully in the chest.

"Ngh!" I grunted as I stumbled backward.

By the time I had regained my balance, I must've been at least ten feet away. I gave Xigbar a dirty look from my new position. Then, without warning, a group of Neoshadows appeared all around me. I gasped, a look of surprise forming on my face initially, before changing to annoyance.

"Grr…" I said, summoning my Keyblade and attacking.

I slashed at the first few, but my attacks didn't do much. The Neoshadows were coming at me too fast. I tried to call on the power within me, but nothing happened. Only a few wisps of darkness appeared around my body before dissipating. I gasped in surprise, looking confused. There was no time to linger though; the Neoshadows gave no quarter.

They leaped at me all at once, coming in for an attack. I looked up quickly, and brought my Keyblade up, slashing them a short distance away. I couldn't call on the power within, much like I couldn't summon a Corridor. I had a limited arsenal to work with. I'd have to do things the old-fashioned way, and fight only with the Keyblade.

Once all the Neoshadows had been taken out, I dismissed my Keyblade, breathing heavily, and looking defeated as I stared at the ground. I had become so used to fighting with my power that not having it made battle much more difficult. Xigbar walked up to me.

"Looks like you will" he said, looking satisfied. "Given the right incentive". He grinned evilly.

* * *

Things change pretty quickly once you get on their bad side...

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	48. Chapter 47 - Escape Attempt

Hi everyone!

Wew! Exciting time in the story! I'm so glad you're all enjoying it! You guys are what have make this story happen! I never would've been able to write this without you! So thank you all so much! You guys inspire me to keep going!

Anyways, enough of my chatter, enjoy! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 47 – Escape Attempt**

"We must act quickly, or they will indeed succeed in their plan of resurrecting Xehanort, and creating his thirteen darknesses" said DiZ. "See to it that Sora makes it to the castle soon".

"Understood" said Riku.

* * *

I walked as slowly as I could to the common area. There was no use hiding in my room; they would just come for me if I didn't show up for the days' mission. Entering through the alcove and coming to a stop, I once again reached down to my right wrist, and tried to wrench off the bracelet that was suppressing my ability to create Corridors. But it was no use. No matter how hard I tugged at it, it wouldn't budge. I scrunched up my face in renewed concentration, and kept trying.

"You have Vexen to thank for that little contraption" said Xigbar, walking up, a crude look on his face. "Keeps you little power right under our control".

I stopped momentarily, not taking my hand off the bracelet, and looked up at him, glaring. He just looked amused. _Should've known,_ I thought. Of course it'd be Vexen to create something like this. He was always up to his experiments for the Organization. I looked back down, continuing to try and wrench it off, but to no avail.

"Gah!" I finally cursed in frustration, letting go and swinging both arms to my sides, hands balled into fists.

I looked straight ahead of me at the far wall, not making eye contact with anyone. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. There was no way to get it off. Vexen had made sure of that. Xigbar laughed slightly in amusement as I looked back up at him. He smirked as he saw the fire now mixing with hopelessness on my face.

"Worry not, little poppet" he said condescendingly. "Your power'll be ours soon enough". He paused. "It was a bonus that that rogue darkness brought it out in you for us…".

I gasped, taken aback, remembering as I looked at his amused expression. That's right. In my first few days with the Organization, I was attacked by dusks. The next day, a dark power had invaded my body, and proceeded to try and take me over. For months it had taken on the form of Ansem, not the real Ansem, but had tormented me just the same as he did Riku. Even after Zexion had given me to coat to control it, he had gone after me while I slept. I had eventually defeated him, but not before the power within me had begun to awaken.

After that I had discovered ability after ability as I fought my way through missions, defeating Heartless big and small. Many villains had come after me. Pete and Maleficent, then Hades, and later Jafar. Even the Heartless had tested my power. Everyone and everything seemed to be drawn to it. Throughout all this time I had played right into the Organization's hands without even knowing it. They had used everything that had happened to me to their advantage. All to grow the power within me for Xehanort. I gave Xigbar a dirty look as we had a standoff. He shrugged it off, looking nonchalant as he spoke.

"Heh, don't look so surprised" he said. "This was the plan from the beginning. And you played your part perfectly". He grinned evilly. "Not long now".

I was left with a scowl on my face as I watched him walk off. A few moments later, Luxord approached and came to a stop beside me. I gave him a sideways glance, not wanting anyone to bother me right now, but I knew he would anyway. He put his hand up to his chin, contemplating, as if studying me briefly, and then spoke.

"Genxam, I do believe you are with me today" he said.

I turned to face him, a look of indifference on my face. I was going to be forced to go on another mission whether I wanted to or not. All I could do was silently protest. When Luxord saw the expression my face, he reached his hand out, creating a Corridor.

"After you" he said politely, motioning with his outstretched arm. I walked through, not giving him a second glance.

We came out near the docks of a dark town. The only thing lighting the area was the moonlight glistening off the water and the edges of buildings. It was a soft blue reflecting off the various structures scattered about. We stood on a long stretch of land between what looked like warehouses and a boardwalk that stretched out into the water. It was Port Royal.

I looked over at Luxord briefly, who reciprocated with a dangerous look. That told me all I needed to know. Complete the mission, or he would force me to like Xigbar had. I looked away from him and began to walk forward under protest. There was nothing I could do. I didn't have a choice. I couldn't create a Corridor, and I couldn't use my abilities. They had me as trapped as I had been when they had initially captured me.

After traversing less than ten feet, a group of Heartless appeared. All of them were Soldiers. They danced around me in a circle before two decided to jump and attack at the same time. Summoning my Keyblade, I slashed them away in a single hit, causing them to disappear. My expression had changed to complete concentration. Any thoughts of resistance against the Organization were pushed aside momentarily. That was the thing about not having emotions; you could act them out for effect, but they didn't affect you in battle as much.

Having taken out the group, we continued on. Luxord didn't get involved, instead keeping a close watch on me, as if calculating my next move. As we approached the far end of the docks, another group of Heartless appeared. This time it was Air Pirates. They flitted about in the air for a few seconds as I summoned my Keyblade, watching them.

"Haaah!" I yelled as I ran at the first one, jumped into the air, and came down on it. It disappeared, releasing a heart.

I took out the rest, following much the same pattern for each. Just as I had defeated the last one, Luxord began to walk over to join me. Just before he reached me however, a Corridor of Darkness appeared in front of the nearest warehouse, a short distance in front of my position. I looked back at Luxord, but the look on his face said he hadn't created it. That was all I needed to know. I didn't know who had created it, but anything was better than this. I went to make to run for it.

I was stopped before I could even start. Luxord had reached me and grabbed my arm from behind, preventing me from moving forward. I struggled desperately against his grip, pulling away, but he had a firm grip. He looked at me with a victorious expression.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he said darkly.

I looked at him defiantly, clenching my teeth. In the next moment, there was the loud sound of an explosion from nearby. Luxord was momentarily distracted by it, and loosened his grip slightly, looking in the direction from which it had come. I took my chance, yanking my arm away from him and running through the Corridor. He ran after me.

The Corridor led to the Back Alley of Twilight Town, just outside the entrance to The Usual Spot. As I came careening out of the Corridor at a rapid pace, I slowed myself down, just narrowly avoiding running into Hayner, Pence, and Olette. I turned around to face them; it looked like they had just left their hangout, and were heading out into town. Olette turned and looked at me with a confused expression on her face.

"Megan, what happ—" began Olette, but I interrupted her.

"No time! There's a guy after me wearing the same coat as I have on!" I said quickly. "He'll be coming through anytime!".

The three of them turned around, taking on a defensive position between myself and the Corridor, Olette grabbing a nearby studded baseball bat.

"Not if I have anything to do with it!" she said determinedly, taking on a fighting stance with the baseball bat held up in front of her.

They all watched the pool of darkness. Luxord appeared through it seconds later, albeit with much more composure than I had. Though he had come at a run, he had stopped immediately as the Corridor closed behind him. Looking at the three in front of me, he merely put on a sly grin. Hayner, Pence, and Olette tensed up in front of me. Their expressions were all determined as they stood in between to defend me from this person.

After a brief standoff, Luxord opened a Corridor to his left, making sure to make eye contact with me behind the trio before departing. The Corridor closed behind him. I knew he wasn't going to give up that easily; I had to be on my guard. Hayner, Pence, and Olette relaxed immediately after Luxord was gone, Olette lowering the baseball bat as the three of them turned around to face me with concerned expressions. I let out a long sigh as well. Safe. For now.

"Thanks you guys" I said. "You have no idea how much you just saved me".

Olette was first to speak, "Sure," she said. "We may have only met once, but we could never abandon a friend in need". She spoke with such a caring tone. I could barely remember being able to do that. "Who was that guy?".

"It's a long story" I said. "And I don't know when he'll be back".

"Well, it seems we have time" piped in Pence. "Why don't we go and sit down at the usual spot? We'll keep you safe, Megan".

I looked over at him, surprise on my face. They were so kind, even though we barely knew each other. I nodded.

"Sure" I said, smiling and relaxing a little. "And I go by Genxam now".

"Genxam?" said Hayner, stopping and turning back as we headed toward the metal fence door. "That's a strange name".

I opened my mouth to respond when I saw something move down the alleyway out of the corner of my eye. It was near the opening to Station Plaza. Stopping and turning to look, I saw Sora standing in front of the entrance to the underground.

"Sora?" I said in disbelief.

The others stopped, turning around to watch as I walked up to him. Coming to a stop ten feet away, he looked at me with a smile. I looked him up and down, making sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

"Sora, it really is you!" I said surprised. I paused, moving my head back and forth, looking to either side of him. "Where are Donald and Goofy?".

Sora's image then faded, revealing Zexion. I gasped, taking a step back, a look of horror on my face. Arms grabbed me from behind, a hand coming over my mouth. I grabbed at it on instinct, and looked up to see Xaldin sneering at me as I struggled to get out of his grip, but couldn't. He held my head firmly against his chest as he covered my mouth, and held my left arm in place.

"Nggggh!" came my muffled protests as I struggled against him.

I grew angry, trying to summon my power, but all that appeared were small wisps of darkness around my body that dispersed almost immediately. I struggled against his grip even more.

"Ngh! Let me go!" I yelled in frustration.

Xaldin seemed to be taking pleasure in my situation.

"What's the matter? Can't use your power? What a terrible shame…" he said, grinning evilly.

I looked at Zexion desperately, wrenching Xaldin's hand from my mouth for a moment.

"Zexion, how could you?!" I said as Xaldin held me. He placed his hand over my mouth again as I struggled to get free.

Zexion looked at me then, emotionless, "I'm sorry, Genxam" he began. "I cannot disobey an order".

I looked at him in shock. That's right. None of them had emotions. I didn't either anymore. I kept forgetting that fact. We all acted like we did, laughing and talking like real people. Like Somebodies. But we didn't feel anything.

I looked at Zexion, conflicted as I continued to struggle futilely against Xaldin's grip. A Corridor opened up beside us, and Xaldin urged me toward it. I watched as Zexion stood there, his face showing no indication of remorse. No indication of anything. Xaldin walked me toward the Corridor. There was little I could do to fight back. He was too strong for me.

* * *

The illusion now broken, Hayner, Pence, and Olette finally noticed my predicament. But they were too late. By the time they had noticed, Xaldin was taking me through the Corridor as Zexion teleported away. Olette ran toward the swirling pool of darkness with her bat raised, but was too late. The Corridor closed around her just as she brought it down to attack.

* * *

We arrived back in the common area, the Corridor closing behind us. Luxord walked up from a short distance away.

"This one causing you trouble, is she?" Xaldin said to Luxord as he released me with a push in the back.

I stumbled forward, looking up at Luxord defiantly as I came to a stop in front of him. He just looked at me with a sly grin, placing his hand on his chin for a moment before walking off.

* * *

So close! If only it was the REAL Sora! The Organization has endless tricks up its sleeve!

Hope you enjoyed this one!

Let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	49. Chapter 48 - Defiance

Hi everyone!

So you may or may not have received an email notification about the last chapter "Chapter 47 - Escape Attempt". If you didn't, and haven't read it, please go back and do that now! It's an exciting chapter! FanFiction's email notifications seemed to be a bit wonky when I uploaded it a couple weeks ago... Fingers crossed it's working properly now!

Now, without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 48 - Defiance**

I woke up in the castle. Back in the bed in my white-clad room. It wasn't the same anymore though. The castle had become a prison. I wasn't allowed to move about on my own anymore. I wasn't allowed to see Axel or Roxas. I wasn't allowed to do anything. They had tightened their grip immeasurably. This was the real Organization. Now that I had found out the truth, they were keeping an iron-clad grip on their captive.

I sat up quickly as I heard a sound of shuffling in the corner. Lexaeus walked out from the shadow upon seeing that I was conscious.

"Time to go" he said simply.

"And what if I don't" I stated challengingly.

My mind with still reeling from the events of the previous day. I had tasted freedom for a very brief span of time, but it had been taken away. Taken away by someone I had thought I could trust. Zexion had been a friend to me, or so I thought. There was no way I was going to do what they said. I would go kicking and screaming, if that's what it took.

Lexaeus made his way across the room as I stared him down defiantly from my position sitting on the side of the bed. Upon arriving a pace away, he reached out and grabbed me under the left arm, yanking me off of it, and up to a standing position.

"Ow! Lexaeus, let me go!" I protested, struggling as he held me by the arm slightly higher than natural, but he didn't loosen his grip in the slightest.

I stopped for a moment and looked up at him. There had been kindness in those eyes before. I had seen it from all of the members, albeit to varying degrees, but it had definitely been there. Now there was nothing; no sign of any emotion whatsoever as my gaze met his. Without another word, he yanked me forward, pulling me out the bedroom door, and toward the common room. He wasn't playing games.

As we arrived through the alcove, he released my arm, and I backed away from him, toward the other side of the room. I held my arm, nursing the bruise that was bound to appear from his strong grip. We had walked in silence the whole time traversing the corridors. I had stopped fighting his grip after a while, and simply walked obediently with my head hung as he held my arm firm. I looked over at him with one arm across my chest now, hand holding the other. He returned the look without expression before walking off.

I turned to face the room, letting go of my arm now that the pain had subsided a bit. Demyx was excitedly showing off his water powers at one end to Zexion and Luxord, who both seemed quite bored watching him. He swirled his hands around his sitar as he showed off new movements with water up and around the area they were standing in.

"I did this, and that!" he said enthusiastically as he waved his hands in all different directions, not paying attention to where the water was going.

Just as I had turned to see this, one of the water attacks came straight in my direction, completely drenching me. If it had been under better circumstances, I might have laughed it off, but these weren't good circumstances. I turned toward Demyx with a dangerous expression.

"DEMYX!" I yelled at him with as must anger as I could muster.

I then pulled my hand back, and thrust it forward, sending a darkness blast straight at him.

"Haaa-aah!" I yelled passionately as the blast left my palm. It flew across the room straight at him.

"Woah!" squealed Demyx, ducking quickly to avoid the blast.

It narrowly missed him, crashing into the wall behind his head as he cowered with his arms over him. I lowered my arm, inspecting my hand. _At least I can still do that much…_ I thought, sighing. Upon seeing I had calmed down a bit, Demyx came out of his protective shell and stood up, grinning at his quick wit. That just made me angry again. I brought my arm back to send another blast, and Demyx, seeing this, cowered once again, preparing for the impending attack. Just as I was about to send the next blast however, Zexion grabbed my wrist and held it up in the air, taking me completely by surprise.

"That's enough" he said calmly, giving me a stern, yet unthreatening face.

I looked at him, my face changing to pure rage, and ripped my arm away. He was the last person I wanted to see right now.

"Hmph!" I grunted. Then after a brief silence, "How could you do it Zexion?" I said lividly. "How could you trick me like that?!".

My eyes began to well up, tears streaming down my face as I looked expectantly at him for an answer. I didn't know why I could cry. I just could. Was I really faking it? How could someone without a heart shed tears like that? How could a Nobody show such emotion?

Zexion didn't look proud of what he had done. There was the slightest flicker of recollection on his face as he looked away, avoiding my gaze. I wiped the tears away, calming down a bit, but he still wouldn't look at me. I walked away from him a moment later, feeling torn. I was angry at all of them. Those who I had thought would be on my side had betrayed me.

Just as I passed by a set of couches, Axel stood up from one, grabbing my arm as I went by, stopping me in my tracks.

"Hey, don't be like this" he said seriously, looking at me with remorse.

I didn't fight him. I just stood there without making eye contact.

"Be like what?" I said icily. "I've never been better".

Axel's was taken aback at my words, a look of shock appearing on his face, and released my arm without another word. I continued walking toward the back of the room where no one else was, and looked out the window to cool off.

"Wow, she's even scarier than Larxene when you make her mad…" said Demyx, still shaking in the corner.

"What was that?" said Larxene from a short distance away, skeptically cruel eyes looking at him.

"Ah! N-nothing!" stammered Demyx.

Larxene just smirked evilly, turning her head back toward me. She walked to where I was staring out the window absentmindedly, and placed a hand on her hip, waiting for me to turn around. As I turned to face her, a look of satisfaction came across her face.

" _Someone_ woke up on the wrong side of the bed…" she teased.

I just gave her a look.

"C'mon…" she said, pulling me away from the window by the arm.

She opened a Corridor, and sent me through it first with a forceful tug on the arm.

"Woah!" I said as I stumbled through. I had been in too much of a stupor to notice much of what was going on around me, but it had been broken now.

As I came crashing through onto a dusty road in the streets of Agrabah, I turned toward Larxene as she appeared out of the Corridor, it closing behind her. I looked up at her with full awareness and defiance now.

"Grr… I can walk on my own ya know!" I retorted at her, a look of anger on my face. She merely smirked.

"Oh, but this is much more fun…" she said, looking amused.

I huffed, looking away from her. There was no use trying to get under her skin. SHE was the one that got under people's skin. It was a game that I wasn't going to win. Larxene broke into my thoughts, her voice becoming stern.

"Now, you have a mission to complete" she said. "Do it properly, and I might just leave you in one piece".

I gave her a dirty look. It was the same threat they had given me for days now, and it was getting old. I was tired of following their orders. But I didn't have a choice.

I walked forward through the streets of Agrabah as Larxene followed closely. Groups of Heartless would appear here and there, to which I summoned my Keyblade and took care of them, even casting a little magic here and there. None were very much of a challenge; it was mostly just Shadows mixed in with a few Bandits and Powerwilds. I dispersed them without much effort, getting lost in the heat of battle each time. We traversed many streets in this way before coming to a square space at the back of an alleyway where I got an idea.

A group of Scarlet Tangos appeared in front of us, and immediately began sending fireballs in our direction. I dodged to avoid their attacks. Instead of summoning my Keyblade this time, I focused all my energy on sending a blast of darkness out from my palm again. I had managed to do it at the castle when I was angry, even with the bracelet suppressing my power, so I focused as much as I could here to do it again. Bringing my hand back, I quickly thrust it forward before Larxene could stop me. Instead of directing it at the Heartless however, I aimed right at one of the buildings with the intention to cause rubble to fall.

Larxene had noticed too late. The blast impacted high up on one of the buildings, not quite causing a hole though, but enough that debris came down near her and myself. She quickly jumped out of the way, as I stepped aside to avoid the few pieces of debris that came near. Once it had stopped falling, she gave me an irate look from across the space. I ignored her, and went to throw another darkness blast at a different point of one of the buildings. Before I could however, she had reached me, grabbed my arm, and dragged me roughly backwards into a Corridor.

As we arrived back in the common area, she slammed me onto a wall back-first as the Corridor closed behind her. She looked at me, seething with anger as I looked satisfied at successfully throwing the mission. She thrust her hand roughly around my throat, pinning me against the wall.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't end your puny little existence right now" she said angrily.

"Because Xemnas wouldn't be happy about it" I said back, an evil grin appearing across my face. I knew she couldn't do anything to me.

Larxene let go of my neck, scoffing, and then walked off, not happy about having been defeated. I fell away from the wall as soon as she did, hunched over as I held my neck, coughing to catch my breath. Leaning over, I supported myself with hands on knees as my breathing normalized again, and then stood up straight. Axel walked up to me with a concerned, but also surprised look on his face.

"You got a death wish?" he asked.

I looked at him with defiance, now having collected myself. "I'll never stop fighting" I said seriously. "Not until you all realize how stupid you're being". I then walked off, leaving Axel with a stunned, but also contemplative look on his face.

Larxene had left the common area, and there were only a few other members around. There was hardly anyone to keep an eye on me. I could try and make a break for the front door again. Saïx couldn't guard it forever, and it was likely that he was busy with other things right now, and hadn't expected me back so early. It was worth a try.

I ran toward the exit of the common area, making a break for the hallway outside. But I was stopped just before reaching the alcove. A shockwave hit me square in the back, and dispersed in a flurry of pink flowers as I arched my back at its impact.

"Ngh!" I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground hard, flat on my face.

Turning over quickly, I sat up, supporting my back with my palms on the ground behind me. There was only one person that attack could have come from. I looked up at Marluxia a short distance away with a scowl. He walked toward me calmly carrying his scythe at his side, a disapproving look on his face as he closed the gap between us. He came to a stop a few feet away as I looked at him defiantly.

"Tsk, tsk" he said, waving a finger on his free hand in front of him.

I gritted my teeth at him, and grimaced at the pain I still felt from his attack. The healing power of the golden glow was noticeably absent. It must've been suppressed along with the rest of my abilities. Marluxia put his arm down, and then grinned victoriously.

"Now, now" he said calmly. "We wouldn't want you going anywhere, when the finale is about to begin…".

* * *

Sorry to keep leaving you guys on cliffhangers! That's just this part of the story!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	50. Chapter 49 - The Beginning of the End

Hiya everyone!

It's busy time again! Sorry this one took so long!

Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 49 – The Beginning of the End**

"Genxam said something to me the other day that made me start to wonder…" said Roxas, atop the clock tower, sitting beside Axel as he held his stick of sea-salt ice cream. "Wonder about what we're really doing".

"I've had the same thought…" said Axel beside him as he took a bite of his. "She hasn't been the same since returning from DiZ. I wonder what he must've told her to cause such a change…".

Axel and Roxas both looked out at the sunset in silence for a few moments.

"Do you really think we'll get hearts when this is all over?" asked Roxas.

There was a brief silence.

"I wonder that sometimes myself…" said Axel.

* * *

I woke up in my room to another morning in the castle. As I sat up, I was shocked to see Xemnas standing in the corner by the dresser. Immediately jumping out of bed, I kept a close eye on him, scowling as I stood between him and the door. My back was to it as I took on a defensive position. Xemnas smirked slightly in amusement at my reaction before speaking.

"Sora will be here soon…" he said slowly.

I looked at him with a shocked expression at hearing that, almost hope, but quickly changed to a defiant one.

"You leave Sora alone!" I yelled at him, thrusting my hand to the side.

Xemnas seemed undisturbed by my protest, and continued.

"He has served his purpose, now it is time for him to fall into oblivion…" he continued.

I gritted my teeth. There was nothing I could say that would stop him. Nothing I could do against them. I frantically tried to think of a way to do something, to help Sora, getting lost in my thoughts in the process. So lost, in fact, that I didn't notice Xigbar enter the room and walk up behind me, grabbing my right arm and holding me still. I gasped, looking behind me to find his eye patched face. He merely grinned evilly down at me.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed as I struggled against his grip.

In the next moment, I looked on in horror as Vexen walked in holding a syringe, a cruel grin on his face.

"What is that?!" I said desperately, struggling even more now.

"Just something to make you a little more compliant…" said Vexen amusedly, grinning as he approached, coming to a stop beside us.

I gasped.

"Don't worry" Xigbar teased from behind me. "It won't hurt… much". He grinned triumphantly with his one eye.

I struggled with everything I had now, a look of fear and desperation appearing across my face as I tried to pull my arm away from him. But it was no use; he had an extra strong grip. He didn't yield at all. In the next moment, Vexen jabbed me in the arm with the syringe.

I stopped struggling. My mind went blank. There were no more thoughts or memories, just utter silence inside. Everything that I had been was suppressed. My entire demeanor changed as I looked up at Xemnas, no fight left in me whatsoever, only complete loyalty. Xemnas looked satisfied at seeing my now blank expression as the three of them stood around me, Xigbar releasing his grip on my arm.

"What will you do when Sora arrives?" asked Xemnas.

"He has served his purpose" I said emotionlessly. "We no longer have need of him".

A grin appeared across Xemnas' face. "Very good" he said.

* * *

The main door to the castle opened, the energy bridge extending down to the surface. Xemnas stood to my right on one of the platforms near the back of the room with his hand on my shoulder as three figures came running into the space. Sora, Donald, and Goofy, having spotted us standing high up, came to a stop just below. Sora looked up and gasped, seeing Xemnas beside me. He summoned his Keyblade, and got into a fighting stance.

"Let her go, Xemnas!" he yelled.

Xemnas looked uninterested in Sora, instead turning slightly to look at me.

"Genxam, I trust you know what you need to do" he said calmly.

I nodded. My mind was blank. I could only follow orders.

"Genxam…?" said Sora hopefully. He looked at me for any sense that I remembered him.

Xemnas looked down at Sora. "Yes. Genxam is now on our side" he began, smirking. "A full member of the Organization".

Sora's shocked expression looked at my blank one, then at Xemnas, and then back at me. He took a step forward, swinging his Keyblade to the side.

"Megan! Genxam, snap out of it!" he yelled at me. "Whatever they've done to do, you have to fight it!".

I couldn't hear his words. Nothing he said got through to me. Xemnas, watching my expression, was content with the situation. He grinned once more at Sora before teleporting away, leaving me to deal with him.

Immediately after he had left, I jumped down from the platform, landing a short distance away from the trio, bending my knees, and then stood up, my head rising to face them. I focused on Sora. Reaching my hand out to the side, I summoned my Keyblade. Sora and the others took a step back in surprise. In the next moment, I lunged at them, Keyblade poised to attack. As I came in to strike, Sora raised his Keyblade just in time to block, our weapons locking.

"Genxam! This isn't you!" Sora pleaded as we struggled against each other.

I couldn't hear him. All that was in my head were Xemnas' orders. Eliminate Sora. He has served his purpose. We no longer have need of him. Sora pushed off, sending me back a pace or two. He hadn't used his full strength. He was holding back.

I brought my Keyblade up to attack again, and ran at him, locking again in battle with his. He gritted his teeth as he struggled against my attack. I forcefully sent him backward as he slowly sunk back from my unrelenting attack. Backward and down he went slowly; it was looking like he was going to lose the fight. Then, at the last minute, Donald and Goofy called out his name.

"Sora!" they said in unison.

It was like a lightning bolt had struck him. Suddenly a burst of strength came, and he pushed me off with such force that I stumbled backward, having to steady my footing. Once I had, I looked back up at him, still with a face of complete concentration.

"Genxam, you've got to remember!" he yelled, a little more firmly this time. "Remember when we met! Remember!".

Something in what he said caused a spark in my mind to ignite. I grabbed my head with both hands, dropping the Keyblade as I was suddenly inundated with flashes of memory.

 _..._

" _Uh… I never got your name before…" Sora said awkwardly, scratching his forehead with his index finger._

" _Oh! It's Megan" I said._

 _…_

More memories began to surface as the pain intensified. I bent my knees, sinking down to the ground, and curling in on myself.

 _…_

 _"So, which name should we call you by?" Riku asked in a friendly tone._

 _I thought about it for a moment, but the choice was an easy one to make._

" _Genxam" I said. "That's the name I'll use so long as I'm a Nobody. It'll help me keep things separate"._

…

I arched over, holding my head as it throbbed. Sora reached his hand out and made to walk toward me, but I saw him coming.

"Genxam, are you—" he began, but I cut him off, lifting my head and jumping back to a standing position before he could reach me.

My Keyblade having disappeared, I had my arms out to the sides in a combative position as I looked in their direction, but not directly at them. The expression on my face wasn't confused, but it wasn't completely blank anymore either. I stood up straight, turned, and ran away before they had a chance to follow.

* * *

Axel was wandering the corridors, looking for Genxam. What she had said caused him concern, and he had to know more. As he was about to turn the corner, a voice from behind stopped him in his tracks.

"Axel, report to the Alter of Naught" came Saïx' emotionless voice.

He turned to face him, keeping a complete poker face in the presence of his superior. There wasn't much he could do; he had no choice but to obey, or it would look suspicious. He teleported as ordered.

* * *

I ran through countless hallways before stopping, not even paying attention to where I was going. A couple of flashes had gone through my mind that seemed familiar, yet distant. They had felt warm, but I didn't know them. What were they? It was as if they belonged to me, yet not.

I found myself walking through an area of the castle with platforms situated high above a floor that couldn't be seen. There were structures floating from beside the platforms that had bars on them to hold prisoners. As I walked around the new area, there was movement from behind the bars of one of the cells. Walking up, a girl in a pink dress with red hair and blue eyes was standing in the middle of the cell, looking out curiously toward me.

The sight of the girl suddenly caused more flashes of memory to fly through my mind. I arced over again, holding my head as it began to throb once more.

 _ **...**_

" _Sora?" I said incredulously. He looked at me, and then at my coat._

" _You're with the Organization!" he said challengingly. "What are you doing here?". I looked at my coat, and then back up at him._

" _No, no, you don't understand! I'm not with the Organization!" I said, waving my arms in front of me._

…

"Ngh!" I grimaced as the memories came to the surface. Something was clearly trying to block them.

…

" _Lexaeus! Let me go!" I protested. He merely looked at me without expression. My struggling barely phasing him._

 _I went to summon my Keyblade, but he grabbed my other arm before I could, holding both from behind me._

…

"Agh!" I cried out. The more that came to my head, the more the pain intensified. It was coming in waves now.

…

" _Well, it's nice to meet you, Megan" said Olette happily. Then she changed to a more somber expression. "Sorry, but we've gotta run… a friend of ours was taken, and we need to find her best friend and let him know what happened. We'll catch you later!"._

 _With that, Olette and Hayner waved as they ran past me, heading up Station Heights._ Could that be…? _I thought._ No… Axel wouldn't have any reason to kidnap Kairi here. He had kidnapped her in the game to try and turn Sora into a Heartless so that Roxas would return. But Roxas was still around in this version of events. It must be a coincidence.

…

I gasped, opening my eyes slightly to look at the ground as breaths came in short and fast.

…

" _No, it can't be true… you're lying…" I said. "You're just trying to trick me like you did before!"._

" _Xemnas has done a good enough job of that already" said DiZ matter-of-factly._

" _Huh?" I said, relaxing my posture, my head falling back in surprise at his words._

" _Think about it" he said calmly. "Remember the first time we met, shortly after they captured you. Before they filled your mind with fear". He paused. "Remember who you used to be"._

…

The last memory caused a chain reaction. Everything came rushing back. When I was taken from my room, my first days with the Organization, DiZ and Riku trying to get to me on more than one occasion, fighting back against the Organization, being tricked by Xemnas, and then finally learning the truth before being brought back by Axel. The control of the serum that Vexen had injected had been broken.

I stood up slowly, my head normalizing, and looked absently ahead of me on the platform. _What have I been doing?_ I thought. I looked to the right, and then the left, spotting Kairi in her cell, still looking at me curiously. It had happened. Kairi had been captured anyway. No doubt to lure Sora and the others to the castle. And it had worked.

I had to get her out. But how could I? The bracelet on my wrist was blocking my powers. There had to be a way to break it.

I called on all the might from inside I could, summoning every ounce of power I was able to get. The bracelet immediately activated, subduing any power that came out, but I kept trying. I grunted, pulling out more and more power, little by little trying to get past the bracelet's control. But none came through. I called on more than I ever had, giving it everything I had.

"Haaaaaaaaaah!" I yelled out.

The power responded. Purple and green hues encompassed my body, more than the bracelet could handle, as raw power emerged from within. The bracelet held on for a few seconds, and then broke off from the raw strength it was being subjected to, breaking in half, and falling to the ground in two pieces. Once it had come off, I relaxed a little, the pull from its suppression no longer present, and let the power dissipate as I breathed heavily.

I slumped forward, letting out a final large sigh, and then stood up, looking around incredulously. I could feel the power inside me again. Feel its full potential. I had done it? That was it? I looked at my hands in disbelief. Hues of darkness appeared around them at my call; my powers were back.

There was no time to waste. A determined look on my face, I looked over at Kairi, focusing back on the present. In the next moment, I teleported inside her cell, appearing a short distance to the right of where she was standing. Kairi, still looking out of the cell at where I had been, now turned to look at where I had appeared, jumping slightly.

"Who are you?" she asked, withdrawing a little at seeing the coat I was wearing.

"My name is Genxam" I said, looking at her friendlily. "I'm a friend of Sora's".

Kairi paused a moment before speaking. "You're dressed like they are…" she said cautiously.

"I'll explain later" I said quickly. "Right now, we've gotta get you away from the Organization". I paused. "Sora and the others are here".

"Sora…?" said Kairi, almost in a daze.

I didn't wait for her to respond, reaching my hand out, and opening a Corridor in the cell. She looked at it with apprehension, holding back a little. Making eye contact with her, I smiled encouragingly, and changed my tune.

"I know it looks scary, but it's really not" I said, tilting my head a bit.

I knew she was a princess of heart, and would be fine using a Corridor. She had a strong heart. I reached out my hand toward her.

"C'mon!" I said with a friendly expression.

She tentatively placed her hand in mine, which I clasped, and then ran through the Corridor with her. We came out on the platform in front of the cell she had just been in, the Corridor closing behind us. Kairi looked over at the barred enclosure in disbelief, letting go of my hand. She took a step toward it.

"I'm out..." she breathed, a wave of relief in her voice. She took a moment to collect herself. "But Sora... he's here because of me. He's in danger...". She clasped her hand over her heart.

I looked at her sympathetically. The Organization was messing with many lives, many hearts, and they didn't care who got caught up in the process. I just hoped we would be able to stop them. They had all the members intact this time around. I looked at Kairi, her back to me, and spoke.

"Let's go find him" I said calmly as she turned around to face me, and then paused. "Together".

I reached out my hand toward her once again. She turned to look at me with surprise, but then relaxed, her face changing to one of determination, and nodded. She had decided to trust me. Taking my hand, we ran down the pathways of the castle looking for Sora.

As we left the dungeon, and came running down a few white ramps suspended above another endless abyss, Kairi suddenly came to a stop at the top of the last platform, letting go of my hand. She looked ahead in slight apprehension, but quickly returned to her determined expression as she looked at the man standing ahead of us, flanked by two large Nobodies holding weapons similar to maces. I looked to where she did, and saw Saïx standing directly in our path. He spoke before either of us had a chance to.

"Kairi, I'm afraid leaving is not an option" he said in his emotionless tone. He then turned to look at me. "Genxam, I'm disappointed in you. You would have made the perfect Organization member".

"Not gonna happen" I said flatly. "You guys are bad news. I may not have a heart, but I don't need one to see that". I paused. "I should've seen that from the beginning".

In the next moment, I summoned my Keyblade, and ran directly at Saïx, raising it above my head for an attack.

"Haaaaah!" I yelled, coming in and swinging at him.

Having summoned his claymore, he merely swiped horizontally at me as I came within a few feet. I moved my Keyblade to the side to defend, but the sheer force of the impact sent me flying sideways into a wall to the right of where Saïx had been standing. I crashed into it with force, causing a slight indent to appear on the patch behind me. I got up to a mid-level standing position, everything in my body screaming for me to stay down, and thrust my hand out, sending a larger darkness blast than I ever had before.

"Haaaah!" I grunted as I sent it at Saïx.

It seemed to take him by surprise as he quickly raised his claymore in front to deflect it. The power of the blast impacted his weapon, sending him sliding back a few feet with a gust of wind. But before I had a chance to celebrate the victory, he had thrust his weapon out horizontally, sending an even stronger shockwave than that which he had used previously. Being unprepared for this, it hit me head on, slamming me back against the wall I had impacted previously, this time with even more force. It knocked the Keyblade out of my hand as my back made contact with the partition, slumping down to the ground with my head hung, unable to fight anymore. In the next moment, Saïx walked up and stood over me, only a few feet away.

"I see you have grown" he said callously. "But you still do not fully comprehend the power within you".

I managed to lift my head and look up at him, frozen with shock as he watched me emotionlessly.

"Such a pity that you could not have remained ignorant to our plan" he finished.

Before anything else happened, a blur darted across the space, impacting Saïx as he was put on the defensive. When they came to a stop, I saw the back of a tall person in an Organization coat with the hood up locked in battle with him. Saïx' claymore was struggling against the newcomer's red, fin-shaped weapon. Soul Eater. I recognized it immediately.

"Riku!" I gasped, exasperated, moving to get up to a standing position.

Saïx pushed off from him, and he dismissed Soul Eater, sending darkness blast from his right palm at him. Saïx dodged this with hardly any effort. Riku turned and looked at me from under the hood.

"Let's go" he said in Ansem's voice.

I didn't need to be told twice. Standing up fully and steadying myself, I ran to join him. Together we launched an onslaught of darkness attacks at him, and then moved in with our weapons to attack together. Saïx deflected many of our attacks, but knew he was now on the losing side as he struggled to keep up. Riku and I moved in unison, effortlessly combining melee and dark attacks together against him.

Saïx was hit backwards for the second time, stumbling only slightly. He looked up at us, slightly annoyed, but then grinned as he teleported away. Riku and I relaxed, dismissing our weapons, and turned to find Kairi standing behind us, confusion and surprise on her face. She walked up to Riku, looking up at him hopefully.

"Riku… is it really you?" she asked, lowering his hood.

Riku looked sideways in shame as her look of hope was replaced by shock. He had Ansem's face. I looked down. Riku wasn't yet free of him. He had had to use his power to get here.

* * *

As we came to the upper area of the outside of the castle near the Alter of Naught, DiZ was standing on the edge of the platform, although it wasn't DiZ. He had removed all his bandaging. A large device stood in front of him.

"DiZ!" I yelled, as we ran up to him.

He was looking out at Kingdom Hearts hanging high in the sky, and then turned to face us.

"No, you're not DiZ anymore" I said quieter. The man interjected.

"You may call me by my original name now, Genxam" he said. "You have known it for some time".

My face fell back in realization as I looked at him.

"Ansem" I said. "Ansem the Wise".

He smiled kindly at me hearing the name again, and paused a moment before speaking again.

"I see you have broken their control" he said. "You have grown much".

I looked down. It was true I had broken free, but I been tricked by the Organization for so long. It made me feel useless.

"I was under their control for so long…" I sighed. "I can't believe how easily I was tricked! I feel so stupid!". I paused. "Xemnas was controlling me, and I didn't even realize it! I thought I was doing the right thing…".

Ansem looked at me with compassion.

"They used your emotions against you, inciting fear" he began. "Don't feel bad; dark emotions can do many things to a person".

I looked up at him.

"But I don't have emotions anymore!" I exclaimed.

"They had already clouded your mind by the time you became a Nobody" he continued. "Emotions weren't required anymore".

He turned back to the device in front of him, inputting information, and turning it on. The device emitted a beam of light directly at Kingdom Hearts, but fell short of its target, dissipating. Then it began to start shaking, electricity flying through the air around it. Mickey came running into the area, coming to a stop a short distance beside him.

"Ansem!" he said worriedly.

Ansem looked at the dysfunctional device, and then over at Mickey.

"Run, my friend!" he said. "It's going to self-destruct, and anything could happen".

"But…" said Mickey.

Just then, Sora, Donald, and Goofy came running up to join the scene. Ansem looked over at them with hope.

"My only regret is that I could not stop Xehanort myself…" he said quietly. He looked over at Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Sora, the rest is up to you…".

"Ansem…" I said quietly.

In the next moment, the device exploded in a bright flash of white. We all tried to run toward him, but Riku turned and blocked our way with his arms, preventing us from getting too close. I watched from my position beside Kairi as the scene became shrouded in white, and brought my hand up along with the others to protect my eyes. Riku turned around to see just at the blast reached its climax, and everyone was blinded by the light that followed.

The next thing we knew, we were all face down on the ground. I got up slowly, pushing my arms out from under me as I saw the others do the same. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Riku, and Kairi were all getting up, recovering from the same daze I had. No one looked injured, but Riku's appearance had changed. I looked over at him, and saw that he no longer bore Ansem's face, but his own with the blindfold on.

"Riku, your face…" I began, but the others continued for me.

"Riku!" Sora shouted out, seeing his friend get up.

Riku slowly pushed himself up from the ground, looking at all of us. Mickey walked up.

"Ansem did say 'anything could happen'…" he said.

Riku looked at him, and then forward, realizing his new appearance. He looked out at Kingdom Hearts, and then removed his blindfold, looking out with fresh eyes. He had had it on so long that he had forgotten how things looked without it. I walked up to join him as the others waited behind.

"Nice to have you back, Riku" I said. "That other appearance… wasn't really you". I paused. "Thanks for your help back there".

He looked over at me, still slightly in a daze, but then smiled.

"Couldn't have held on a little longer, huh?" he teased.

"Hey! C'mon, I had the entire Organization to contend with, and Saïx has got to be one of the toughest members in their ranks!" I retorted. "I'd like to see _you_ take on all of them! They're a force to be reckoned with all together ya know!".

"We might yet get that chance…" said Riku, somberly now as he looked out at Kingdom Hearts.

Just as I looked out with him, Kingdom Hearts began to glow brighter than I had ever seen it. It was powering up for something big.

"Oh no…" I said under my breath.

I looked over at the Alter of Naught. Xemnas was standing there raising his arms up to Kingdom Hearts, as other members of the Organization were appearing on the platform. That couldn't be good news. The final battle was nearing. I looked over at Riku and the others.

"We have to destroy Kingdom Hearts!" I yelled.

* * *

And there you go! Hope you enjoyed it!

Please let me know what you thought in a review!

Until next time! :)


	51. Chapter 50 - The Final Battle

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the final chapter. At six thousand words, this is now my longest work. I actually already split this one in half in the planning stage haha, but when it ended up being super long after I'd written it anyway, I just didn't want to split it again. I like fifty as a nice even number!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy it. And don't forget to read the Epilogue afterwards! It's very important to the story, as this chapter doesn't really "end" the story completely, and it ties up some loose ends!

* * *

 **Chapter 50 – The Final Battle**

Riku and I looked over at the Alter of Naught. Xemnas had lowered his arms, and was watching as one-by-one, each Organization member appeared before him. He seemed to be organizing them for something big.

"They're going to bring back Master Xehanort…" I breathed, watching the scene I never thought would happen unfold before me.

"We can't let that happen" said Riku confidently. "DiZ did everything he could to try and stop that monster. Now it's up to us".

"Agreed, we've gotta get over there and stop Xemnas" I said. "Let's go".

Just as Riku and I turned to lead everyone toward the Alter of Naught, Sora walked up to me.

"Genxam, are you alright?" he asked. "What happened back there…".

"Yes, I'm fine now" I said friendlily, stopping and turning to face him fully with a softened expression. "Thank you, Sora. You broke the control they had over me".

Sora almost blushed, jumping back a bit and waving his hands in front of him.

"Oh! No, no, it was nothing!" he said frantically. Then he put his hand up to his face, and began scratching just under his eye with one finger as he took on a nervous expression.

I smiled at him. Typical Sora. So oblivious to his own power, and how much of an impact he's really made. After a moment of awkward silence, we turned and walked with the others up the white pathways heading for the Alter of Naught. It wasn't far, but it wasn't close either. As we arrived onto the platform, I saw Xemnas standing with the other members of the Organization.

* * *

Axel looked ahead stoically from his place beside Roxas, among the other members standing in a semi-circle as Genxam arrived with Sora and the others in front of them. A completed Kingdom Hearts loomed brightly in the sky behind the members, the door to darkness to its right. He had been summoned there, but he didn't know for what purpose. Xemnas and Saïx hadn't told them anything.

Himself and Roxas looked at each other through the corner of their eyes in a silent conversation, each trying to learn if the either knew what was going on. They didn't dare move their heads. It would look suspicious if Xemnas or Saïx saw them. They looked ahead silently and watched.

* * *

As we came to a stop in front of the thirteen members of Organization XIII, Xemnas stepped forward from his place in the middle of the group and spoke.

"Kingdom Hearts is complete, thanks to your Genxam" he began. "Come, join us! Fulfill your true purpose!".

"Never!" I said defiantly. "I will never become Xehanort's vessel!".

Xemnas looked disappointed as the grin disappeared from his face. He looked back at the door to darkness, and then back at me, changing to a satisfied expression.

"I wonder how long that defiance will last when faced with the true Master Xehanort…?" he said ponderingly.

With a wave of his hand, he opened the door behind him, and darkness began spewing out.

"No!" I yelled, and tried to run up and stop him, but was thwarted.

Some of the darkness had formed into tube-like tendrils and swiped straight across my chest, sending me flying. I landed on the ground, sliding backward until I was just in front of the others.

"Genxam!" yelled Riku with worry.

I sat up, my back to them as they crowded behind me in support. I wasn't looking at them, but at Xemnas with a pained face. He merely looked satisfied at our predicament. In the next moment, he raised up his hand toward Kingdom Hearts behind him, summoning its power.

It began to grow brighter and brighter, until its light encompassed everything, blinding us all. I got up from the ground just in time to raise up my arms and cover my eyes with the others, Kingdom Hearts' brilliant glow blanketing the area. When the light receded a few moments later, what I saw shocked me more than anything else ever had. All of the members of Organization XIII now bore the striking yellow eyes of Xehanort.

I stepped forward a couple paces with one hand out in front as I looked at them in disbelief and desperation. My gaze crossed all the members, stopping at Axel and Roxas near the centre. Their expressions now blank, their eyes were the same yellow as everyone else's. The emerald green and bright blue had completely disappeared. I looked at them for any sign of my friends, but there was none.

"Axel… Roxas…" I said slowly.

My eyes began to well up in tears. It shouldn't have been possible for a Nobody, yet somehow it was. I fell down to my knees, looking down at the ground in shock. Everything they had been was gone… Everything about them had been taken over by Xehanort. I should've done something! I should've been there for them!

Suddenly, a bright flash assaulted the scene in front of us. I was in too much shock to react to it, and simply stared at the ground. Once the flash had disappeared, a figure stood in its place between us and the thirteen members of the Organization. Master Xehanort, in his long, black coat, with a white shirt underneath, and black boots that matched those of the Organization, stood before us. He looked at myself on the ground and the others with a sly grin. Riku walked up beside me and tugged at my arm, trying to get me to stand up.

"Genxam, Genxam!" he said urgently. "You've gotta get up! We've got bigger problems!".

I glanced up at the figure before me, my face going quickly from anger to shock as I jumped back, breaking out of the trance. I had to focus, we weren't out of danger yet. I then took a step back, shock evident on my face as I gasped, registering who it was that was standing in front of us.

"No…" I breathed. "How can this be possible…?". My shock had been replaced by horror. "Your Nobody is standing right there!" I exclaimed. I looked over at Xemnas briefly before focusing back on Master Xehanort.

"The power of my Kingdom Hearts" said Xemnas and Xehanort in unison.

I jumped slightly at their echoing voices, and then gritted my teeth. I wasn't going to show fear.

"Ah ha hah" said Xehanort, solely now, seemingly amused by my reaction. "Many things are possible with the correct ingredients, and you are exactly a case in point". He paused. "An ordinary girl given extraordinary power. Look at what you've become. A perfect vessel for me…".

My eyes grew wide in shock. It was as if he was looking into my soul. I quickly regained myself, looking at him as defiantly as ever, "Never!" I yelled back, the tears now having completely dried up on my face.

He continued as if unbothered by my words, "The Organization pushed you to grow your powers, to achieve your full potential… and you didn't even notice. Just like Terra. Another perfect specimen…" he continued.

"But he wasn't a Nobody" I interjected. "I am".

"All part of the plan" replied Xehanort. "The body of a Nobody is the only thing that can control that power inside you, as I'm sure you saw for yourself when you very nearly fell to darkness".

I clenched my teeth, looking at him defiantly. He knew everything that had happened. Right from the very beginning.

" _You_ shouldn't be able to show emotion, yet on countless occasions you have…" he mused thoughtfully. "Not even I could have predicted such an occurrence…". An evil grin appeared across his face.

I continued to look at him, trying my best not to break down with all the tension welling up inside me. I didn't understand it either, but I wasn't going to let him get to me.

"Do you know why it's called Organization XIII?" said Xehanort after a short silence.

I looked at him defiantly, knowing where this was going from what DiZ had told me.

"Because it is made up of those who are to become my thirteen darknesses" Xehanort continued matter-of-factly. "You were never really a part of it. Everything that has happened, has happened to lead up to this moment… when you will become my vessel!".

Just then, he waved his hand out in front, and then back toward him. An invisible force that felt like a strong wind began forcing me forward from my position toward him, my feet sliding across the ground. I stumbled at first, and tried to fight it, but it was like a wall was pushing me forward from behind. In the next moment, Riku and Mickey grabbed my wrists and pulled me back, running to stand in front, breaking the pull between myself and Xehanort.

"You're not taking her" said Riku decisively. He and Mickey stared down Master Xehanort with as much might as they could muster. Xehanort merely grinned.

Without warning, the members from behind him leaped into action, summoning their weapons, and coming straight at us.

"They're under Xehanort's control!" I yelled from behind Riku and Mickey.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood guarding me from behind. We all summoned our weapons as the thirteen members of Organization XIII came in for the attack, bracing for it. Lexaeus was the first to reach us. He brought his heavy weapon down on Soul Eater as Riku struggled under the sheer power of the blow.

Demyx stopped and played his sitar from a short distance back, but it wasn't melodious as it had been before; it was a terrible, loud screeching sound that assaulted our ears, while at the same time unleashing water attacks. We all cowered, covering our ears as the sound hit them. I looked up briefly toward where the sound was coming from just in time to see Larxene leap backward up into the air, sending a wave of knives straight at us.

"Knives! Move!" I yelled to the others.

They looked in the same direction as I was, but there was no way to avoid the attack in time. The knives were inbound to hit all of us. I squeezed my eyes shut and braced in anticipation. Just as the attack was imminent, a figure jumped in front with their shield raised, blocking some of the first knives, and a great transparent barrier appeared around our entire group.

"Reflega!" yelled Donald from behind me.

I tentatively opened my eyes to see the scene before me, staring straight at Goofy's back in disbelief. Larxene's knives had fallen to the ground harmlessly, and the other members stood beyond the barrier. I looked at both of them in exasperation.

"Donald, Goofy, you saved us!" I said incredulously.

They turned around to face me, while the others turned their heads.

"What are friends for?" said Donald.

"You can count on us!" said Goofy.

I couldn't help but smile at their words as my expression softened. Friends. Like what Axel and Roxas had been to me. I looked over at the two of them standing beyond the barrier, their weapons raised and ready to attack us. No expression whatsoever. Xehanort had turned them into his puppets, just like he was trying to do to me. I looked at them solemnly.

"Hate to break up the moment you're having, but we've gotta focus" said Riku of Donald and Goofy's conversation with me. He then noticed me looking out at Axel and Roxas, and put on a solemn expression himself, looking directly at me. "That shield's not gonna last forever".

As if on cue, the barrier dissipated a moment later. The members began their onslaught once again as Neoshadows began appearing out of the door to darkness. Heartless interspersed with Organization members now came in from all sides. We jumped into action against them.

Zexion summoned clones of himself which began attacking from all angles; Xigbar attacked with his Arrowguns from up in the air; Marluxia sent a shockwave from his Scythe on my other side. Riku parried an attack from one of Zexion's clones, while Sora dispersed another attack with his Keyblade. Mickey cast spells at Xigbar to stop his onslaught of weapons' fire, which he did, landing back on the ground.

All thirteen of the members then rose up into a circle around and above us, spinning quickly until they were a blur. A mass of energy formed directly above, right in the centre of our group, and then moved in to attack us.

"Reflega!" yelled Mickey.

The great transparent barrier appeared around us once again as the attack impacted it. Instead of reflecting it however, the mass shattered the barrier into a million pieces on impact, causing a great explosion as we all raised our arms up to protect ourselves. The barrier came down around us as the energy mass dissipated above, the Organization members returning to ground level. Just as the haze from the blast was clearing, the members came in to attack again.

Saïx crossed blades with Riku to my left, and Vexen with Sora to my right. I let out a breath with my arms to the side in a defensive position, my Keyblade summoned. They were coming at us from all angles; we had to be vigilant. Mickey stood behind me watching for any signs of foul play.

Before I had even noticed them come in, a blur impacted my back, sending me stumbling forward out of the circle of protection the others had formed around me. I turned around to see who it was, and tried and get back to everyone to help, but Luxord walked up and blocked my way, his yellow eyes watching me intently. He smirked, snapped his fingers, and large cards surrounded and whisked me away before I could do anything else.

As the cards disappeared in front of me, there was nothing but darkness on the other side. The castle was gone, the others were gone. I quickly moved my body to the left, and then right frantically, looking around cautiously, but saw nothing there. Then I heard a voice behind me.

"Welcome, Genxam" said Xehanort.

I wheeled around to face him, putting on the dirtiest look I could.

"What do you want?" I said challengingly, even though I already knew the answer. Xehanort merely grinned.

"You know what I want" he replied, and then pointed straight at my chest. "You hold something of mine within you. And now you must give it back". He lowered his arm.

I stepped back, taking on a defensive position with my arms out to the sides, and gritting my teeth at him. There was a fire in my eyes.

"You're not getting my body" I said resolutely.

Xehanort merely grinned again, looking at me in amusement.

"I don't see that you have any way to stop me…" he said.

Xehanort waved his right hand ever so slightly at his side, a cloud of darkness appearing around it. Suddenly my feet were glued to the ground; looking down, I couldn't move them from their places. I looked back up at Xehanort in fear, who now summoned his Keyblade, and turned it on his own chest. He grinned triumphantly at me one more time before pushing it in and releasing his heart.

His body disappeared as his heart floated over toward me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move my feet, they were locked in place. I struggled desperately, looking on in horror and pulling my chest back as far as I could as the small orb approached. I couldn't pull back any further, and gasped as it arrived in front of me, piercing my chest and disappearing inside. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fight back, but there was no battle. Everything went black as I lost control of my body, and my consciousness was locked into the inner recesses of my mind.

* * *

My eyes opened in the middle of the battle on the Alter of Naught. But they weren't mine anymore, they were yellow; Xehanort had taken control. He balled his new hand into a fist, feeling the power inside.

"Finally... the power is mine..." he said taking a deep breath in and feeling all the power inside.

Hues of green and purple began to appear around his body, encompassing it entirely, the hues becoming larger and more pronounced than they ever had before, as a wide smile crossed his face.

"You had hardly scratched the surface..." said Xehanort to no one in particular. "Much of it has remained untapped... such a wasted potential".

Riku and Mickey looked over at me, their faces changing to shock as they saw the new colour of my eyes.

"Oh no! She's been taken by Xehanort!" yelled Mickey.

Xehanort grinned in victory, summoning his Keyblade. He lowered his arm, grinning at the others, and made to attack. They readied themselves, stepping back into a battle stance. In the next moment, he sent a powerful blast of darkness straight at them with his free hand, striking them all down to the ground at once. I saw it all through my own eyes, but could do nothing to stop it.

Sora and Riku were the first to start getting back up, but they looked like they could barely move. They were battered all over, and it looked like a gust of wind would knock them over.

"Ever the heros" said Xehanort. "Aqua was the same, and she fell into the realm of darkness... You will do the same!".

Xehanort thrust his hand out to send the finishing blow.

 _"No! I won't let you!" I yelled at the top of my lungs from the darkness in which I was now trapped in inside my own mind._

Xehanort froze; he couldn't move a muscle. He struggled momentarily before appearing across from me in the void I stood in inside.

"You dare defy me, girl?" he said icily, annoyance on his face.

He thrust out one hand, and with barely a motion, I was thrown backward by an invisible force, landing on my side at the other end.

"Ngh!" I cried out, landing roughly on the hard ground.

Xehanort lowered his hand and watched me carefully.

"To think you can put up a fight amuses me. You are no one" he said callously. "Why the power would seek you out instead of anyone else baffles the mind... You, who are so weak you could not do a thing the entire time the Organization held you captive. You will be a prisoner of your own mind for the rest of your life. Just like Terra".

He had regained control on the outside now, and moved to leave when I got up slowly and stood to face him.

"Oh?" he turned around curiously. "Still trying to fight the good fight? There is no winning against me. I am darkness in all its glory...".

"I may not be... the strongest person around... when it comes to speed, strength, or magic..." I said slowly, looking at the ground as I steadied myself. Once I had, I lifted my head to glare at him with passion. "But this is my body. That power is mine and mine alone, no one else's!".

Xehanort turned to face me fully now, his gaze piercing mine.

"You cannot defy me girl" he said calmly, but dangerously. "I hold complete control over you".

"That's what you think" I said confidently. "But I have something Terra didn't". I looked at him as defiantly as ever. "I may not be able to harness all the power I have inside me, but I don't need to to defeat _you_ ". I paused. "Something you forget; Kingdom Hearts isn't just darkness, it's also light!".

In the next moment, I summoned the power back to me, tapping into more than I ever had.

"Haaaaaaaah!" I yelled as I sent a shockwave of pure light out toward him.

"What?!" said Xehanort in shock.

He hadn't expected this, and was sent careening backward from the impact, landing on his back. Propping himself up in his arms, he smirked at me briefly before disappearing from my mind. Shortly thereafter, everything went black, and I was back in control of my body on the outside. Xehanort was gone.

I opened my sky blue eyes to see Sora and the others watching me with concern. They had all stood up now, looking worse for wear with bruises all over, but okay otherwise.

"Genxam, are you alright?" Riku asked calmly, noticing the change in my eyes.

"I'm fine" I said seriously, looking past him at where Xehanort had initially materialized. "But Xenanort's not gone. He may have left my body, but he's not gonna give up that easily".

I looked around to see what kind of situation we were dealing with. The members were still surrounding us, but seemed to be waiting for something. Their eyes were still a bright shade of yellow. Then, a moment later, they moved in for more attacks. Riku and the others were hit first, but this time were unable to take much. The direct attacks sent them stumbling backward each time. They had been weakened by Xehanort's blast.

Next it was my turn. Axel and Roxas came in for an attack together, Chakrams and Keyblade raised. Their expressionless faces watched me as their weapons impacted mine together.

"Axel, Roxas, stop this!" I yelled at them desperately. "Wake up!". But it was no use. They couldn't hear me.

I pushed them off with as much strength as I could muster, but there was no way we'd be able to keep this up. The others were already breathing heavily from exhaustion, and I was getting there myself, weakened from the fight with Xehanort. I looked down at the ground, and then out at the members knowing this was a battle that we weren't going to win. Another attack came, which I parried, huffing and puffing as I breathed heavily from the impact. I knelt down on one knee, using my Keyblade to support myself. I had no energy to do anything. Was this it?

Just as I was about to give up, I heard Riku's voice.

"Genxam! The power within you is almost a complete duplicate of Kingdom Hearts! You have the power to change them back!" he said. I lifted my head to look at him incredulously.

"What?!" I exclaimed, not sure I believed him.

"But there's a catch; it may end up destroying you" he continued.

I looked down at my Keyblade, it's black and white swirls looking as prominent as ever. It wasn't going to get us out of this in one piece. There was no choice. Dismissing it and standing up straight, I looked ahead with renewed confidence. I knew what I needed to do. Closing my eyes, I focused the power within out toward the yellow-eyed members. I felt it come alive within me, in a different way this time, with a feeling of warmth accompanying it. When I opened my eyes again, the sight before me surprised me as a calm came over my entire being.

I had expected to unleash a barrage of dark power, but what came out was anything but. Instead of darkness, light emanated from my body as my arms extended out to the sides. It started out small, and then grew to encompass the entire area, including the Heartless. It was similar to the power I had unleashed at Beasts' Castle that had caused me to fall to darkness, and the one at the Land of Dragons, but this one seemed softer somehow. Not one borne of strong emotions, but of hope, of the belief that light and darkness were equals. That one cannot exist without the other.

Slowly but surely, the light enveloped the members, each disappearing completely from existence and returning to their Somebodies. I watched as Axel and Roxas, their blank expressions with yellow eyes fading into nothingness before me, and couldn't help but let a tear fall from my eye. The light enveloped the remaining members, and they all disappeared, save Xemnas who seemed to be immune. He didn't fade as the others did, but smirked floating back slightly and vanishing.

The light receded back into me, and then disappeared completely, leaving a scene without Heartless or Nobodies surrounding us. As the power disappeared inside, I found my legs could no longer support me. They fell out from under me as I collapsed to the ground, beginning to fade.

"Genxam, no!" yelled Sora, running up to catch me mid-fall. He held me there, looking concerned as he watched what was happening to my body. I looked ahead, absentmindedly noticing the wisps of darkness float away.

"I'm… fading?" I said weakly.

I didn't feel worried, or scared, or nervous. I felt resolute. I had saved everyone from Xehanort, both the Nobodies of Organization XIII, as well as Sora and the others. I was content with my choice. The others all watched me, their pained expressions showing that they didn't want it to be this way. Then, just as I thought the end was coming, a golden glow enveloped my body, stopping the fading, and restoring me. I looked up at the others with surprise and renewed strength, and couldn't help but sigh as I smiled weakly.

"Heh. I guess my story's not over yet…" I said.

Sora helped me to stand back up, Riku hovering nearby for support. They all looked relieved that I was alright. I looked around at all of them reassuringly, and then up at Kingdom Hearts and the door to darkness.

"If Xemnas is gone, then why is the door to darkness still open?" I asked aloud.

"I don't know" said Riku walking up to me. "It should've disappeared along with him…".

"That is where you are wrong, warriors of the Keyblade" came Xemnas' voice.

We all tensed up, looking around in anticipation at hearing that all-to-familiar voice. A moment later, Xemnas appeared floating in front of the door to darkness, his back to it as he spoke to us.

"You may have defeated my original for now, but he ensured that I would survive your light before he departed" he continued. "I will not be defeated so easily".

With that, he disappeared inside the door. A transparent pathway appeared leading up to it. I looked at Sora, who watched where he had gone with determination.

"If we don't finish him off now, there's no telling where he'll show up next" he said. "I'm gonna go in there and defeat him once and for all".

No one was going to argue with him. Xemnas had to be stopped.

"We'll keep an eye on things out here" said Riku.

"Go get him" said Kairi.

Sora looked at all of us, and then followed the path to the door. After he had disappeared, the door began spewing out Heartless. Shadows, Neoshadows, and Darksides emerged from its black depths, making their way toward us on the platform. They quickly surrounded our battered group.

I stepped forward, summoning some Shadows to combat the ones that now surrounded us. They took out a few of the enemy ones, but were quickly defeated.

"You can control the Heartless?" asked Riku behind me in surprise.

I looked at him with a weak smile, almost embarrassment that I hadn't told them.

"To be honest, summoning and controlling them makes me nervous..." I said.

"How can you feel anything? You're a Nobody now" said Riku.

"I don't know!" I exclaimed. "I just can! It doesn't happen all the time, and I don't have an explanation for it...".

I called forth more Shadows, and ordered them to take out a few of their own a short distance in front of me. They did, but the those were quickly replaced by Neoshadows, who swooped in and squashed my Shadows with little effort, and then turned toward us.

"Can't you summon anything bigger?" asked Riku.

"I haven't really honed this power" I said. "That's the most I've been able to do so far! Like I said, it makes me nervous!".

The Neoshadows took our distracted conversation as an opportunity. They leaped at us, claws ready for the attack. I quickly summoned my Keyblade, and dispersed them, but more kept coming. After I had dispersed the last batch, another group moved in to surround Riku and I.

"Any bright ideas?" asked Riku, eying them nervously beside me.

"Just one" I said. "I've never been able to summon them, but I was able to send Neoshadows back to the realm of darkness once... I'll try again".

I took a step back, focusing my commanding will out like I had before. My gaze intensified as I exerted my power on the Neoshadows ahead of me. They cowered slightly, and then disappeared back to the realm of darkness, but it only worked on a few.

Another couple leaped at me from the side, breaking my concentration. I brought up my Keyblade to parry their attacks. They landed on it, and I pushed them back.

"Ngh!" I grunted as I pushed them off. Commanding that group to return had taken a lot of strength out of me. I looked over at Riku. "I'm sorry, that's all I can do!" I yelled over to him.

The Heartless began to close in on us, surrounding the entire group.

"You did your best" said Riku. He looked up at the open door to the realm of darkness that was still spewing out Heartless. "We've got to get that door closed if we're going to have any chance at winning. Sora'll never be able to defeat Xemnas so long as it's open".

That sparked an idea in my mind. I looked down at my Keyblade, it's swirls of black and white, light and dark, wrapping around it's shaft. _A Keyblade half of the light, and half of the darkness_ … I thought. _Is this what it's meant for?_

Closing the door to darkness required a Keyblade of light, and one of darkness. Mine contained both. I looked up at the door and knew what I needed to do.

"Clear a path!" I yelled to Riku and the others.

They defeated the Heartless between myself and the door as I took a step back with my Keyblade, studying it carefully.

"A Keyblade of both light and darkness…" I said to myself.

I raised it up to aim directly at the door. Sora would get out okay. There was always a light in the darkness, and he was the strongest light I knew. A beam emanated from the end of my Keyblade, piercing the darkness within the door. The doors closed, and then disappeared in front of us. The door to darkness had been sealed.

Riku and the others had just finished off the last of the Heartless that had appeared as I turned to face Kingdom Hearts. I stood in front of the large heart-shaped moon in the sky, my Keyblade held diagonally out to the side as I stared out at it. It hung there, brilliantly illuminating The World That Never Was as I walked toward it. As I came to a stop in front of it, the power inside me reacted. I closed my eyes as my entire body glowed a bright gold, brighter than ever before, lighting up the entire area. Kingdom Hearts sensed a power similar to its own as it reacted with mine. It slowly began to shrink and disappear into nothingness, the light dying down, until there was nothing there, as if it had never existed.

I turned to face the others, putting on a weak smile as they stood across from me in disbelief on the alter. In the next moment, space-time rippled, and Riku disappeared.

"Riku!" both Mickey and I shouted in horror, but he was gone. Disappeared without a trace.

Tense minutes went by as I joined the others, waiting on the platform for any sign of Sora or Riku. Then, space-time bent again, and both of them appeared on the ground in the middle of the platform. We all ran over to help.

"Are you guys alright?" said Mickey.

They got up slowly as we crowded around. First up to all fours, and then up to a standing position, helping each other up.

"We're fine" replied Riku.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Xemnas" began Sora. "He pulled us both into the realm of darkness".

"But we defeated him" finished Riku. "He won't be causing us any more trouble".

Relief washed over everyone at the news. After ensuring they were both alright, everyone began chattering about different things. I turned back out toward where Kingdom Hearts had been, looking out at the now-empty sky.

I let my gaze fall from it, looking out ahead of me over the skyline. Riku walked up to my right, Sora to my left as I turned to face them.

"Hey, are you alright?" asked Sora.

"Yeah, I'll be fine" I said.

Naminé and Roxas appeared translucent a short distance behind where we were standing. They walked up to us as we turned around and looked at me. They weren't completely there anymore, but could still speak. Naminé started first.

"Genxam, if you want, I can rearrange your memory, so that you can go back to your old life…" she offered. "You won't remember any of this".

"Xehanort's never going to stop coming after that power inside you, but we can protect you from him" said Riku beside me.

I looked at him for a moment, before looking back at Naminé. She reciprocated with a warm expression. I didn't need to think about it; I knew what I wanted to do.

"No, I want to continue helping you guys" I said, much to the surprise of everyone. "I'll stay, if that's alright".

Everyone let out a sigh of contentedness as Riku spoke.

"Of course" he said, and then added, "It's not gonna be easy though you know". I looked at him with determination.

"I know that, and I'm ready to face whatever comes. I'll continue fighting against Xehanort, even if I am a Nobody" I said. "I'll use this power I have for good".

I looked at Roxas sadly then, knowing his translucent image meant that he was going to return to Sora soon. He saw the pained expression on my face.

"Don't worry, Genxam" he said. "I'll always be around whenever Sora is, so this isn't goodbye. Riiiiight, Sora?". That last question was almost a teasing one.

"Oh, uh, yeah! Of course!" Sora stammered at his Nobody as he straightened up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you guys…" I said remorsefully. Roxas let out a breath, looking contentedly at me.

"There's no way you could've known what would happen" he said. "Cheer up! Things'll work out, I'm sure of it!".

I couldn't help but smile weakly at him as Sora and Kairi walked over to their Nobodies. After a brief goodbye, Roxas and Naminé shook hands with Sora and Kairi, disappearing and returning to their originals. Riku walked to the centre of the group.

"I'll open up a Corridor out of here for us" he said.

He raised his hand up into the air, but nothing happened. He looked puzzled.

"You don't belong to the darkness anymore Riku" I said. "Don't worry, I'll create a Corridor for everyone". I smiled weakly at him; he almost looked at me with pity. "It's the least I can do for everything you guys have done for me".

Riku looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it as I held up my hand and opened a Corridor with little effort. We looked around at everyone else, who all nodded happily. They all walked through save myself, Riku, and Sora. I looked at the two of them on opposite sides of me, who nodded encouragingly, and then looked at the Corridor that would lead away from The Castle That Never Was. We walked through together.

* * *

And there you go!

Please let me know what you thought in a review, and don't forgot to continue on and read the Epilogue!

See you there! :)


	52. Epilogue

Hello again :)

I hope you all enjoy this final piece to the story. It's much calmer than the last few chapters, and I hope it ties up any loose ends, and leaves the story with a feeling of completeness!

* * *

 **Epilogue**

I sat on the edge of the clock tower in my Organization coat, looking out at the setting sun of Twilight Town. The wind was calm; everything was quiet. It was almost serene. It had been a week since I had left The Castle That Never Was. As I looked out over the town, I couldn't help but sigh. It wasn't the same anymore. Nothing seemed right without them.

I heard footsteps come around the corner, and looked over to find Riku standing there, looking at me.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I asked calmly, looking up at him.

He smiled slightly before responding.

"Oh, come on" he said teasingly. "We were watching Roxas all the time while Sora was asleep; trying to get to him to wake Sora". He paused, sounding slightly disappointed as he continued, "We were unable to, but fortunately Naminé was able to wake Sora without Roxas". Changing back to his usual tone again he said, "And we were watching you while you were under Xemnas' control. We knew you, Roxas, and Axel came here all the time".

I looked down, sighing again.

"You're thinking about them, aren't you?" asked Riku solemnly.

"Yeah…" I replied, looking up and out at the sunset. It glowed bright hues of orange and yellow in the sky; the same as when I had come with them.

"Cheer up" said Riku. "You'll see them again. Their Nobodies may be gone, but that means that their original Somebodies will return".

I lifted my head in surprise at hearing that, looking out across the town absentmindedly as I remembered. _That's right_ , I thought. _Lea will come back, and Roxas… Roxas will have returned to Sora, but I'm sure Sora'll find a way to bring him back out._ Maybe there was hope after all…

"Still wearing the coat, I see" said Riku, interrupting my thoughts. I grinned at him. He always knew how to get people out of a stupor.

"Think I'll keep it" I said. "The Organization'll be back, of that I'm sure".

After a brief silence, Riku spoke again.

"C'mon" he said. "Master Yen Sid wants to see you".

"Yen Sid?" I said, looking up at him surprised. "What could he possibly want with me?".

"I don't know" said Riku smiling at me friendlily. "Only one way to find out".

He reached his hand out, which I took, helping to me stand up on the ledge.

"Ready for another adventure?" he asked.

I looked at him in surprise for a moment, unsure of what to say at first. Then a smile formed on my face, and I nodded.

"Yeah" I said happily. "Let's go".

* * *

As we walked through the large door at the top of the tower, I saw a tall man wearing a wizard's hat sitting behind a large desk in the centre of the room. Riku closed the door behind us, and came over to stand to my left in front of it, bowing as he came to a stop. I bowed quickly to mimic him, not wanting to seem out of place.

"Master Yen Sid" began Riku. "This is Genxam, the girl I was telling you about".

Yen Sid turned to look at me, as I looked curiously at him. His face showed no indication of what he was thinking; all I could tell was that that he was reading me.

"You are a Nobody" he said to me.

"Yes" I said calmly. "It was the only way to prevent my falling to darkness due to the power inside me".

"Yes, Riku has told me of what has occurred, and of the power that you find within yourself" said Yen Sid. "I am deeply sorry of what has happened to you as a result of Xehanort's work".

I let out a breath, looking down slightly before responding, and then looked up at him.

"That's something I've been wondering about for a while now" I said. "If you don't mind my asking, where did this power come from?". I paused. "I know DiZ found it in Castle Oblivion because Organization XIII was working on it, but how could they have created something to mirror Kingdom Hearts power?".

Yen Sid seemed to be remembering something as he looked up slightly before responding.

"During the great Keyblade War, pieces of Kingdom Hearts fell from the sky" he began. "Most shattered into nothingness, however there were larger parts that may have survived. It is likely that Xehanort recovered one of those parts, and has used it to create the power that now resides within you. An imitation of Kingdom Hearts' power".

I contemplated this a moment, taking it in. There was another burning question that I had to ask.

"There's something else that's been on my mind" I began. "I'm a Nobody, yet somehow I'm able to feel and show emotion. It doesn't happen all the time, but it's definitely there. How is this possible?".

"The power within you is strong; so much so that it transcends the Nobody/Somebody divide" he began. "Emotions are in the heart, and Kingdom Hearts is the heart of all worlds. The evidence that emotions surfaced in yourself as a Nobody is not surprising given this fact".

"But the others were able to show emotion too, and they didn't have this power…" I said.

"Many Nobodies can imitate emotions without feeling anything" began Yen Sid. "Some may even have a fleeting emotion. But they will never feel anything more until they return to their originals". He paused a moment before continuing. "Kingdom Hearts affects all beings, some more than others, but no one would have been affected as much as you".

"Why was I able to feel such emotion?" I asked. "I was able to feel so much anger, sadness, and other emotions". I paused. "It doesn't make sense…".

"The power within you was derived from a piece of Kingdom Hearts" said Yen Sid. "Essentially it holds a piece of Kingdom Hearts within itself".

My eyes widened in surprise at this new knowledge. I had a piece of Kingdom Hearts within me?

"Kingdom Hearts is the hearts of all worlds, holding both light and darkness within it, and the worlds also carry much emotion within them as well" continued Yen Sid. "As a Nobody, you may not possess a heart, and therefore no emotions, however the part of Kingdom Hearts within you gives you something very similar".

I tilted my head, scrunching my eyebrows slightly as I tried to piece together what he was saying.

"So… instead of the emotions coming from my heart, they're coming from this power?" I asked. "Because I have no heart?".

"That is mostly correct" said Yen Sid warmly.

I looked at him sideways, puzzled. He continued to explain.

"I would not be so sure that Nobodies do not possess a heart at all" he began. "The heart itself may not be there, and it does carry within in many of the abilities to feel emotion, however that is not all there is to it".

I thought about what he said for a moment, and then remembered something.

"You can have heart without having a heart…" I said quietly, echoing what I had told Larxene about Axel and Roxas at one point.

"Precisely" said Yen Sid. "It is how the mind perceives things, that we act in the way in which we do".

It made a lot of sense when I thought about it. The mind has a lot of control over a lot of things, why would emotion be any different?

"There's just one other thing bothering me" I said, and then paused. "Saïx said that I don't understand the full extent of the power within me… what did he mean? When Xehanort took control of my body, he used power I had never seen before…".

Yen Sid looked over at Riku sending a silent message, and then back at me.

"That is something you will have to discover for yourself" he said. "It is not something that can be taught".

I looked down at the ground, sighing.

"Kingdom Hearts would not have sought you out had it not seen potential" continued Yen Sid.

I looked up at him in surprise. "Me?" I said in disbelief.

"Yes" he replied. "You must hold more confidence in yourself and your abilities". He paused. "We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses. It is what we choose to do with them that makes us who we are".

Just then, the door behind Riku and myself opened, revealing Sora, Kairi, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. They walked up to stand to my right.

"Master Yen Sid, you wanted to see us?" said Mickey.

"Yes, Mickey my friend" said Yen Sid. "It is time we rescue Aqua from her own predicament".

"Aqua? Who's that?" said Sora and Riku together.

"That we will have to discuss later" said Yen Sid, looking at them. "First, the two of you will need to take your Mark of Mastery exam".

"An exam?" complained Sora. "C'mon, we just got back!".

"Sora, show some respect!" scolded Donald.

"Oh, alright…" said Sora, sighing. He then went right back to his cheery demeanor, running his hand across his nose. "Test me all you want. I can take on anything!".

Riku, Kairi, and Mickey smiled, myself and Goofy following suit as Donald and Sora went at it. After they had finished squabbling, Yen Sid spoke to me again.

So, what do you say Genxam?" he began. "Would you like to join the fight against Xehanort? You may just discover more about yourself in the process…".

My face fell back slightly in surprise at the offer, and I looked at both Sora and Riku on opposite sides of me before responding. They both gave me encouraging nods. I never could have imagined this. From regular girl, to captive of the Organization, to standing with Sora, Riku, and Kairi in front of Master Yen Sid. It was all so surreal. I looked down for a moment, and then looked confidently back up at Yen Sid.

"Where do I begin?" I asked.

* * *

There we go. Hopefully that sums up everything that needed summing up, and answered any questions left hanging!

As always, please let me know what you thought in a review. I always appreciate feedback :)

Please see the final notes in the next chapter as well!


	53. Final Notes

Final Notes

Thank you all so much for reading my story. I've received a lot of great feedback over the last year, and could not have completed it without you guys! So thank you. You all really encouraged me to keep going!

This story turned into something I never could have imagined when I picked it up from the Prologue last April. It's changed and evolved so much as I received feedback, and as new ideas popped into my head daily. It's been an amazing journey. One that I am so happy I got to share while writing my first fanfic.

I would like each and every one of you to please review letting me know what you liked, what you didn't like, and what I can improve on in future. It would really mean a lot to me.

Thank you all so much for sharing this amazing journey with me, and I hope you all have a great summer! :)

~coolmegan123


End file.
